


Malachite Ash

by jesusfricketypunk



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Adventure, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - MAMA (Music Video), Everyone Is Gay, Fluff and Crack, M/M, Mostly Crack, Oh Sehun is a Little Shit, Power Bottom Do Kyungsoo | D.O, Princes, chanyeol is a royal, everybody thinks luhan is a girl lmao, fwb kaisoo, idk how but ill make it work, kinda royal au kinda thief au???, kyungsoo is a thief, listen i dont rly know what im doing, powers ooh, probably dragons, prolly some angst, some serious themes/dark themes
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-15
Updated: 2018-01-05
Packaged: 2019-01-17 22:48:16
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 26,534
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12375744
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jesusfricketypunk/pseuds/jesusfricketypunk
Summary: sometimes theres dragons





	1. Chapter One

The cold was what bothered Kyungsoo the most. The stealing? He'd made his peace with that, stealing from the rich to feed the poor? That had to have some moral superiority points. But when Kyungsoo had to lay and wait for those rich carriages against a half-frozen pine tree, that’s when Kyungsoo began to think deeply about his life choices.

The paths where the royals travelled, deep in the woods, was always freezing. Kyungsoo who was used to the heat that came with the filth in the lower ring, was out in the woods, especially mid-November in only an awful hand sewn, used and abused shirt and a thin, worn pair of trousers. The trustiest thing he owned was the leather boots he had on his feet, passed down to him, from Minseok, who had stolen them from a middle-class man who had the misfortune of wandering into the lower ring. The cold made it difficult to focus on the upcoming challenge. He could hear the horse drawn carriage clacking along the frozen path already.

 _W_ _hat use are_ _a_ _thief's_ _hands if they are frozen stiff?_ He thinks bitterly to himself as he begins preparing himself, shuffling soundlessly on the branch and holds his breaths when his weight causes on of the branches to creak ominously. Getting the jump on the enemy was evidently more important than caring about falling to his death.

Just above him Ji Yong clings to the tree trunk for dear life. Kyungsoo empathizes with him, being so high up and far away from their element was disconcerting.

On the ground Jongdae steps forward, prepared to cause the distraction. He was still not in plain sight, shaded by the deep canopy of evergreens, the only person they risked having on the ground. Lightning and trees? Better not risk it.

Even though it was the perfect set up for a robbery, the rich folks preferred the protection the trees gave them over the main roads through wyrdgaen. Kyungsoo doesn't blame them, he would choose being robbed over travelling the lower ring as well. You know, if he didn't already live there.

Kyungsoo shifts again, readying to drop down. He hears the telltale crackle of Jongdae's magic filled the air, causing his nerves to build. This was Jongdae's first time taking part in a looting. Kyungsoo sent out a quick prayer that his friend didn’t fuck this up. Everything could go to shit if they didn’t stay knocked out.

Kyungsoo closed his eyes for a minute, willing the earth to respond to him despite the distance between them. Jongdae's eyes lifted up to him and Kyungsoo made a few crude gestures to depict what he heard. Jongdae gave one short nod to show he understood and turned his attention back to the road.

Two carriages, four people. Two passengers in the front carriage, one driving the horses and one guarding the rear of the back carriage.

It might've been Jongdae's first time on a raid, but he knew their code better than anyone, pretty face be damned, Jongdae knew how to work the thieves code.

As the carriage drew near, a sharp spark streaked out of the sky, in a drum beat rhythm four times, and before he had time to fret over it, Kyungsoo was jumping down, right onto the carriage. 

After pulling the short straw it was decided that Kyungsoo would take the passenger carriage. There was always a luggage carriage with the upper class, that’s how you know they're rich. Only mage's travelled these roads in a single carriage. 

Movement to his left caught his attention and for a brief moment he locks eyes with Minseok who flashes him a fiend like smile before he's gone again. 

Kyungsoo dives through the carriage window. There were holes in the ceiling where Jongdae's lighting had struck through. Kyungsoo winced briefly, hoping they were only stunners, like Jongdae said. 

He took in the two silly looking women. One was wearing a puke yellow dress and the other a blue and white polka dot jump suit. Kyungsoo never understood the higher-class fashion choice. He wasn’t poor by choice but he certainly didn’t mourn the clothing options.

They were obviously middle class, just enough real gems and just enough knock offs. Kyungsoo could always tell which ones were real or not. It was probably cause the stones came from the ground. He always takes the fakes anyway.

He only took a few minutes looting through their purses, snatching the expensive looking jewelry from their necks and wrists and one interesting looking lady bug hair piece. 

He was just preparing himself to jump back out of the carriage when he felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. He stops for a moment, suddenly questioning how easy this raid had been, because why on earth are two middle-class women travelling with only two guards tailing them and their treasury? 

The silence is what snaps Kyungsoo out of his trance, the only sound is the faint nicker of distressed horses. The carriage has stopped. 

Kyungsoo cautiously looked out the window. 

Two large hands appeared out of nowhere and Kyungsoo could barely process what was happening as he was hauled out by the collar of his shirt. His had feet barely touched the ground before he forced his shoddy control of the earth into action. He quickly located his friends on the ground. Yunyi was off somewhere behind him and the carriage, she was lying on the earth, so Kyungsoo guessed she was incapacitated. He located Jongdae and Minseok not far from her, from the feel of it they were on their knees, Kyungsoo guessed they were bound and gagged.

"What'd you think you're doing, eh?" A deep voice sounded in his ear, he smelled faintly of ozone and bad beer. This wasn’t a royal guard. "Knock us out with lightning? Don’t you know us fire types are immune to each other?" 

Kyungsoo grunted, thrashing in his tight grip, trying to think. Had someone else gotten to the royals before them? If regular middle-class stiffs were using mages to protect them then Kyungsoo's livelihood just got a whole lot more difficult to secure.

Kyungsoo focused on the earth again. He needed to know how far Luhan was.

Kyungsoo cursed under his breath. Kyungsoo could fight them, especially since earth has a natural advantage over fire mages. There were a lot of fire mage's that Kyungsoo was accustomed to dealing with in the lower ring. What he couldn’t do, however, was save his friends as well as fight for himself. 

Kyungsoo was considering the outcomes if he made a break for it immediately. He could easily escape his captors meaty hold, but he didn't know what communication methods the guards partner had.

"Whats a pair of mages doing guarding scum like that then?" Kyungsoo asks, emphasizing his accent to match the northern wyrdgaen accent of the guard. The rich might refine their accents to sound regal and official, but down in the lower ring, the deeper you went, the more indecipherable your accent got. Kyungsoo often used the southern wyrdgaen accent, just to make transactions easier. 

"That so called scum is puttin' bread on my table, boy, so I suggest you hold your tongue before speaking bad about them ladies in there," Kyungsoo rolled his eyes at the false display of loyalty, but he needed him to keep talking, so he kept back his retort.

"How'd you get in with that lot then? They taking any kind of peasants or is it just the magic ones?" Kyungsoo hoped the giant oaf was as stupid as he was burly, otherwise his plans for getting out of this alive went out the window. But Kyungsoo had to give it a try at least, what was the point in escaping if they were going to fuck up like this all over again.

"Them up tops lookin' for only the best, starting to train them up. Givin even the middle-class guards. Only the best gets to become a guard." In other words, only magic users.

Having got what he wanted, Kyungsoo suddenly kicks out and brings a wall of dirt between him and the guard, just powerful enough to distract him. Kyungsoo slips out easily. The fire mage shouts for his partner. Kyungsoo smiles.

Dodging a blow that would have easily taken out his arm, Kyungsoo begins focusing all his mana, gathering his magic at his fingertips, because this could be disastrous if he wasn’t careful. He dodged another sharp jab, and delivered a swift kick to the back of the guard's knee cap. He didn’t fall because the guy was built like a brick shithouse but it was enough to make him stumble in the opposite direction. 

"Distract them," he hummed to himself, trying to get himself into the best position for when the blast went out. Minseok wouldn’t be happy with him, and his friends would definitely be bruised. But he knew Luhan was waiting for his chance, just out of sight in the woods. If he could get them to him, he'd catch them. Kyungsoo didn't allow himself to think of the alternative.

A strangled grunt came from his left. Hulk number two had appeared and he had a dagger. Kyungsoo groaned and dodged another fist.

They can't be high level mages if they're fighting physically, Kyungsoo thought idly. He needed to find a place that would give him a few extra seconds.

This time Kyungsoo only paused for a minute when a nasty swipe caught his cheek. "Shit," Kyungsoo hissed, diving away from the first guard's grabby hands. He needed to do it now. 

From the ground he could see his friends around the other side of the carriage.

Kyungsoo gasped and rolled away from a lunging dagger, getting to his feet quick. 

If that carriage is still loaded, Kyungsoo thought deperately, it might take them giants a few moments to lift it. They were certainly too big to follow him under.

He dove under the carriage and felt for his friends. He could see them but he needed their location on the ground. He could hear the guards beginning to push the carriage. Kyungsoo began poured all his energy into the earth.

"C'mon" Kyungsoo gasped out, sweating profusely. If the carriage fell, it would land on his friends.

"Gotcha!" The carriage creaked as it began tipping over.

Then the ground erupted.

And Kyungsoo passed out.

////////////////////////////////////

When Kyungsoo came to, he felt the telltale throb in his head that appeared when he'd overexerted himself. He twisted, began stretching his sore limbs. He was travelling, on the back of a moving cart. A jail cart.

Coated in iron.

Kyungsoo held back a groan. 

Even if he had any magic left to summon, the bullshit surrounding him would have prevented that from happening.

He looked out the barred window, trying to reorientate himself. The sight that greeted him was the opposite of what he was used to.

Paved walkways and houses in rows. Cobblestone streets? Kyungsoo definitely wasn’t in wyrdgaen anymore. 

If he had to take a wild guess, he would say he was in the middle ring. Which worked out well for Kyungsoo because if he could keep track of where he was going from here, the forest would lead back to the lower ring. 

Kyungsoo had never been to the middle ring. Sometimes the gaens would bribe the guards to be let in. If you had enough money, you could probably inject yourself into the society here. But mostly the only time the middle class and the lower class had illegal dealings with each other. Technically, gaens were allowed into highwyn, but there were so many rules that nobody from wyrdgaen ever got through without a bribe. The middle class though? They got through without a problem. Many didn’t dare though, because getting in wasn’t a problem, it was getting back out. You were considered sullied if you entered wyrdgaen, that's why people only did it in the dead of night.

The forest however, was no man's land. Not many people from the lower ring would venture into the forests anyway, not willing to risk the dangers, when they had plenty business in wyrdgaen.

Kyungsoo only worked the forest because it was the only game he knew was guaranteed to be his. He'd grown up in that forest, pretty much learning every possible spot for theft. He knew the roads that the lower royalty would travel, the middle class and even the visitor road, which was usually rife with guards, wasn’t immune to Kyungsoo's thievery.

Minseok and he had been a duo after their father died. Trusting others didn’t come naturally to them, but Yixing had crept under Minseoks defenses. And Yixing was prone to picking up strays. First Yunyi and her younger sibling Baekhyun, then Jongdae. And only recently there was a boy name Ji Yong, with impressive water healing abilities, and the closest thing to an earth mage Kyungsoo had ever seen. 

Kyungsoo shivered as he considered, briefly, what could have happened to any of his friends if they had been caught. How much magic did the guards see them perform? Were they wanted? The people in the lower ring not above selling out their own for the right price. Night was beginning to fall outside. Looking for the castle through his bars, he predicted it would be another half days journey to reach the castle. The middle ring was nowhere near as big as wyrdgaen, but highwyn had difficult to navigate winding roads. There were no straight roads to the castle. 

Thieves were common in the lower ring, but magic users were supposed to register with the officials at the gates. However, the officers at highwyn gate were as crooked as you got and every magic user needed to be registered through the king and if you identified as anything higher than a level two in your element, you never saw the lower ring again. Yixing was proof enough of that.

Kyungsoo wondered if his abilities would spare his life or end it. He knew he was a wanted man, but before there hadn't been much offered for his capture. Wanted thieves were just a stunt to show that the officials were doing their job. If the money was anything worthwhile, Kyungsoo would have handed himself in. 

But a wanted thief and an unregistered mage? Kyungsoo could feel the charges mounting over his head.

After another three and a half hours of stewing in his own misery, the cart rolled to a start and Kyungsoo watched as the security gate for the high ring opened. 

His mouth dropped open in awe, as the gate, easily superior to the highwyn gate, sparked with electricity and then a hole appeared. 

There was no actual metal. The whole thing was powered by magic.

Having grown up around the uglier side of the highwyn gate, Kyungsoo had always thought that the Estermere gate would just be a well-kept version of that. But where the highwyn gate was bulky and reinforced with the strongest metals in Aean, the high ring gate was a long stretch of transparent  _something_ that looked to be completely see through. That was until it began to open and then he saw the raw magic ripple through the gate to make a hole for his jail cart. 

Although naturally a curious person, Kyungsoo definitely didn’t want to know what would happen if he collided with that gate. It looked like it did more than just keep people out.

When the jail cart rolled through, his driver was stopped at a security area. Kyungsoo had never seen a set up so advanced before. 

A murmur of conversation started up and Kyungsoo automatically moved closer to the window.

Clang.

Kyungsoo jumped back, rubbing his chest against the shock, looking up to see a terrifying woman. She was extremely tall and thin and her hair was pulled back into a severe bun and even though her face was youthful, it was set in an angry grimace that clearly aged her several years. She'd just clattered the bars of his cart with a metal bat.

"What're you doing, you crazy old bat!?" Kyungsoo gasped, moving his hand to sooth his ear as well.

"It's not polite to eavesdrop, you filthy little thief." She snapped back at him.

"Well if I'm about to be put to my death, I reckon I should at least know something about it!" Kyungsoo had sprung back up and was back at the bars, though he, wisely, kept his fingers inside the cart.

The woman looked as if she was about to reply when a hand appeared on her shoulder.

"Now, Do-Hee, that’s no way to treat our guest, is it? We should be making him feel welcome!" The man was hooded but from what Kyungsoo could see, he had a smug look on his face. Kyungsoo sneered at him. "Why the long face? You'll be out soon, little jijin."

He took his hand off the woman and tilted his head towards head to look Kyungsoo in the eye. Kyungsoo felt his blood run cold. He had the eyes of a snake.

Distracted, Kyungsoo hardly noticed the woman had taken a step forward.

"Of course, until then, you understand, we need to be a bit cautious." The snake guy spoke softly. Kyungsoo would have attacked the woman as she approached the window, placing her hands on the bars, but the black smoke that rolled through his cart sent a buzz of blind panic through him that left him paralyzed a moment too long.

He knew what this smoke did. It was rare for fire users to get smoke instead of fire, he'd seen Baekhyun wrestle with his disappointment over only being able to knock people out for a couple hours for years. The black smoke rolling through his cart however, was thick and angry and completely unlike Baekyun's misty steam and Kyungsoo felt fear for the first time since he was taken.

Against his will he felt his vision begin to fog and his body grew heavy. He heard the screech of the jail cart door opening and Kyungsoo tried to fight the arms grabbing at him, but he only managed one pathetic flop of his arm before he fell into the blackness again.

///////////////////////////////////////////////////

The first sight Kyungsoo was greeted with when he awoke was too large eyes peering down at him.

The close proximity shocked so much he jerked forward and smacked heads with the creepy stranger. The stranger darted away with a yelp. Kyungsoo slumped back, rubbing his forehead, glaring at the tall stranger across the room.

"Why? Why would you even-" Kyungsoo struggled to keep his composure, and the stranger startled, like he hadn't expected Kyungsoo to speak, and hastily bowed to him. Kyungsoo felt for lumps on his forehead and winced. "Ouch."

"Oh my god! I'm so sorry, I was only trying to wake you up!" The stranger was flushed, looking like a deer caught in headlights, that made Kyungsoo feel a tiny bit sorry for him. His accent, Kyungsoo noticed, was all over the place, and Kyungsoo would bet money he didn’t have that this kid was not a palace rat.

"You wouldn't wake up," he added meekly and Kyungsoo sighed deeply and turned to survey his surroundings. He was in a lavish looking room, a picture of grandeur. The ceiling was high and arched, the was a warm fire crackling in the hearth. There was a large bookshelf full of expensive looking leather bound books. Even his bed was large, possibly larger than his room at home which he shared with Jongdae. Another cage.

"Hm, at least this jail cell is prettier than the last," He muttered out loud, studying the walls, catching the telltale feeling of being cut off from his magic, wondering if every inch of the walls were insulated with iron.

He turned to regard the servant, who was standing at the end of the bed hesitantly. Kyungsoo sighed.

"I'm assuming you're here for a reason?" He prompted and the boy flushed again and ducked his head again, as if fearing he'd angered him again. He seemed to have lost all semblance of professionalism. Kyungsoo admired that quality in a person.

"I'm here to get you dressed. The King requests your presence and you have to look presentable." The boy straightened his back, produced an armful of clothes seemingly out of nowhere and bowed to Kyungsoo again. "My name is Kai and I will be serving you for the duration of your stay here."

Kyungsoo grunted and eyed the clothes distastefully.

"I can dress myself."

"You also have to bathe-"

"I know how to wash myself!" Kyungsoo interrupted indignantly.

"I do not doubt that you can do these things, but you do not need to! Those of elite standing expect a certain standard of care. The same service is being extended to you," he paused for a minute before tacking on a hasty 'sir' at the end.

 _Dressing me up like a lamb_ _to the slaughter._ He didn’t say this out loud, and instead stared at Kai, momentarily stumped. "You mean to tell me these people can't even dress themselves?" Kai's eyes widened and he rushed to defend them, but Kyungsoo held up a hand to stop him. 

"I'm going to go wash myself, and then I'm going to dress myself and I'm going to do both on my  _own_ ," he stopped for a moment to take in Kai's heated cheeks and a sly grin spread over Kyungsoo's face. "Of course, you're welcome to stay and watch me."

Kai's eyes widened a moment, but ironically seemed less flustered by Kyungsoo's flirting than he had his ire, and Kyungsoo watched Kai's whole demeanor change with idle fascination. His back arched slightly, he began resting his weight on his hip, and he tipped his head back ever so slightly and appraised Kyungsoo with a heavy lidded look. Kyungsoo let out a low whistle, impressed by the change. 

Kai's presence in the room went from meek and small, to bold and deliberate. 

Neglecting to comment, Kai about turned and marched himself out of Kyungsoo's room, with a confidence he certainly hadn't had before, and Kyungsoo felt himself not really surprised that a pretty serving boy like that was probably used to even worse outright flirting, he knew plenty of people who turned their sex appeal into a weapon. He supposed the higher ups could be just as vile and vulgar as the creepy old men and women in the lower rings, the only difference being more discreet.

With a snort at his own musings, Kyungsoo shook his head and began the process of running himself a bath. Having a water mage on hand meant being clean 90% of the time, which was something most of the lower ring didn’t have in the lower ring. Most mages in wyrdgaen were level one and two fire or air types. Water types were few and far between and everyone knew it.

However, Minseoks main power focused less on water and more specifically how cold it was, he could barely produce anything that wasn't frozen, so what he did provide always came with a guarantee of pneumonia if it wasn’t boiled for a few hours before use.

The palace had actual taps with already heated water. 

Kyungsoo wanted to refuse to enjoy it, and he only did what he needed, but he did savour the warm water against his skin, only for a moment.

He got the clothes on without much trouble, sneering at how warm and well made they were. It still took him and extra ten minutes to figure out the difficult shirt buttons.

When Kai walked back into retrieve him, he raised an eyebrow at the shirt, but at Kyungsoo's glare, he wordlessly corrected the buttons and moved, indicating Kyungsoo to follow him.

And Kyungsoo was about to do just that when a guard materialized out of fucking nowhere and halted him before he could step out of his room. He gave Kai a disapproving glare before indicating that Kyungsoo hold up his wrists.

Oh.

Kyungsoo held up his wrists to be cuffed with a deep roll of his eyes.

The guard tagged behind Kyungsoo, and Kai, seemingly chastised, didn’t speak a word as he lead Kyungsoo through a series of winding corridors.

Finally, after a series of twists and turns that Kyungsoo made sure to commit to memory, they arrived at a hall, Kyungsoo assumed it to be the throne room, just judging by the two golden thrones sitting at the back. The King was already sat on it, looking poised to be condescending and obnoxious. Kyungsoo would rather be set to burn on a stake already than listen to the self-righteous bullshit speech that was most likely heading his way.

The throne room was mostly empty. There were eight guards in all, not including the one that followed him inside, lined up against the walls on each side of him. There was only a sleazy looking man standing by behind the King. He was whispering things in the King's ear, looking very self important. The King flapped a dismissing hand at him as Kyungsoo came to a standstill in the room.

"Ah, you must be our little earth mage," the King said, straightening on his chair. Kai side stepped out of the way and Kyungsoo repressed sending him a glare for suddenly abandoning him, but Kai wasn’t here to play friends with him, Kyungsoo reminded himself, and besides, friendly behaviour didn’t merit trust. 

The guard behind him shunted him forward, and Kyungsoo tightened his jaw thinking about the hard punch to the jaw he prone to giving out if this was someone in the lower ring. People tended to try bully him for his height. He refused to alter his stance to seem taller, because it would certainly be noticed, no matter how much he wanted to.

Kyungsoo settled his gave back on the king and was prepared to start a staring contest, especially if the King wanted him to answer stupid questions like that.

"Now, that’s no way to make friends, boy." The King laughed jovially, the sound caused Kyungsoo to grind his teeth together. "Come on now, don’t make this more difficult than it has to be."

Kyungsoo unclenched his jaw.

"Of course, Your Majesty, you're right." Kyungsoo let his mouth twitch up into a grin. "Let's go to the local tavern, we can get to know each other better, I'll tell you about all the corrupt royals I've stolen from and you can tell me about all the innocent children you've murdered?" 

Kyungsoo felt a spike of pleasure as the Kings smile tightened, though it didn’t falter. 

"That’s certainly a very negative view you have of you King," he said and Kyungsoo struggled to keep his composure, ensuring his expression stayed flat and impassive. His eyebrows were known to make him look murderous at the slightest shift in expression anyway, so it was probably a wasted effort.

"It would be, if I considered you to be my king. As it happens, though, you're just the guy that sets the laws for me to disobey." Kyungsoo kept his eyes locked on the king's dead looking black eyes before adding "Your Majesty."

"That is a shame, I thought we could reach an agreement here. I'm sure it would be in your best interests to cooperate with me," he stopped for a moment, probably for dramatic effect. "I mean, it's only your life on the line,"

"Well that’s funny, I was under the impression I was being sentenced to death. The cuffs and the jail cart and the smoke screen." Kyungsoo holds his hands up as a demonstration. Kyungsoo puts on a simpering voice as he speaks again, "Your Majesty I thought you wanted us to be friends?" He gave the cuffs a rattle while they were in the air.

"Ah, little earth boy, you really are a fiery one, maybe you should have been a fire mage?" As the King was speaking, no,  _shit talking_ , a meek looking servant approached the King from the side. The King leaned down to allow him to whisper in his ear. He dismissed the messenger and turned to Kyungsoo with a grin.

"Kyungsoo, or should I call you D.O? I'm going to offer you a proposition," Kyungsoo stiffened, his brain reeling through the possibilities of how the king managed to get a hold of his name. He'd made it a strict policy to never trade in first names with anybody besides his close family, he and Minseok practised this religiously, ensuring that no one found out their names. None of his friends would have willingly given him up either. 

His friends must have a tail.

And that meant that Kyungsoo had to be very careful of his next move.

"Kyungsoo, may I call you Kyungsoo? I'm going to be upfront with you." The King settled his face into what he assumed was a friendly expression and continued. "I need someone with your gifts, this kingdom has a lot of enemies. And I'm willing to overlook your past... crimes to enable you to serve this kingdom valiantly. In fact, even if you refuse my offer, you would be guaranteed a safe passage home." 

Kyungsoo knew that the offer was a double edged sword. If the king had a tail on his friends, he was either counting on Kyungsoo's having figured that out, or there was something he was holding back. Probably for dramatic flair. Again. 

"And of course, accepting this offer would have no counter effects?" Kyungsoo knew he'd be taking the deal anyway, if anything, just to be safe. He'd never risk his friends getting hurt. 

"Well, there would be an offer on the table, for you to take my sons hand in marriage." Kyungsoo visibly jerked back. "Not my heir of course, I'd never have someone so volatile on the throne. And he does need to have heirs of his own," The King was obviously thoroughly enjoying Kyungsoo's reaction to the news, knowing very well that the marriage offer was more of a condition than a gentle suggestion.

"He's due to be crowned prince next year, he'll need someone strong at his side and I believe you would be perfect for the job," and then the King paused again, flashing his pearly whites in an infuriating grin. "That is, of course, if you accept my offer."

_T_ _hat slimy bastard._

Kyungsoo fumed silently as he began furiously thinking.

There was something else the king was holding back, one last card. 

And Kyungsoo needed to see what else he had left to play.

"I refuse your offer." Kyungsoo said, watching the Kings face darken with delight. 

"Very well, you are free to go. I'm afraid you'll need to hurry, though, we have a trial coming up next." Kyungsoo turned to leave. "Robbery, aiding and abetting, assaulting palace officers... You know the likes I'm sure,"

Kyungsoo didn’t turn back, even as the King trailed off into nothing. The King thought Kyungsoo was playing into his hands and Kyungsoo was, because he suspected, but he needed to be sure.

Kyungsoo was almost at the door when they were flung open and a battered and bruised Minseok tumbled onto the floor.

Kyungsoo shifted to look at the king.

"You hesitate? I can allow you to sit in for the trial if you'd wish? I was under the impression you two were friends anyhow."


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: implications of rape/non con elements ahead it doesn’t actually happen don’t worry but if you're sensitive to that please feel free to skip on by it

 

 

 **_The Earth Mage ~ Excerpt from Samil_ _T_** ** _ralwan's_ ****_"_ ** **_a_ ****_relatively unbiased account_** ** _of_** ** _Mage_** ** _History"_ **  

**_Earth Mages, An Introduction_ ** [ ](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Alchemy_earth_symbol.svg)

_The Earth element, being the element closest to the human's patron Goddess Terra, the Earth Goddess, is the only element that changes_ _every time_ _it presents itself in a mage. It is the power to_ _manipulate_ _elements derived from the Earth. It is not only the element closest to the Goddess, but_ _there_ _has been evidence that the Earth mother chooses all her Mages herself. To be an Earth Mage is the same as getting the personal blessing of their Patron Goddess._  

 _The first documented Earth mage was a Plant manipulator. In history he is remembered as_ _Ryowook_ _the Common as he was born a common blood farmer and had spent his whole life on that farm. It was his_   _existence_ _that prompted the academy for the elite to open its_ _door_ _s_ _to common blood people. Before the academy had originally been founded only for pure blood mage children. His plant manipulation helped the land grow fertile as it had been when the humans still had the Earth mothers_ _favour_ _._  

 _In the history books_ _, the_ _Earth is said to be a temperamental element cursed after the rise of the lost children. The curse was soon lifted after Mila Fireheart defeated the lost children and brought magic to the human race._  

 _The curse, however returned, when an Earth mage was born into the royal family for the first time._ _Kanen's_ _reign_ _lasted a generous span of ten years before he was kindly removed from the throne. His gift, one of the rarest power ever given to a mage, was needed for other important matters._  

 _H_ _owever, Mila Fireheart was_ not  _the first mage, because_ _the first made was_ _born an entire lifetime before the fire mage. She was_ _an unknown girl, brought from the Earth temples, where the High Priestesses of the Old Religion used to reside. Her name is unknown and information about her_ _existence_ _is scarce. The only documentation of her life is a letter written home from a soldier at the front lines during the Orc Wars, telling his family about a child who was gifted by the Earth and sent onto the front lines as_ _humanity's last hope against a looming army of immortally cursed beings._  

 _The curse was only a ruse to explain the loss of the Earth Goddess'_ _favour_ _as a result of the creation of the lost_ _children._  

 _Kanen's_ _reign was not ended gently, as the royals try to force everyone to believe, it was as messy and bloody as his ten years on the throne had been._ _Kanen's_ _gift was originally calcium manipulation, but once he_ _realized_ _he could manipulate the calcium in_ _a human's_ _bone_ _. He became notoriously known as the Bone King as he used his gift to cut down his enemies and any opposed to him in brutal and horrifying ways. He was only dethroned when his own sister, Lee Kara, who would go on to be known as the Queen of Fire, who sacrificed herself in a circle of flames as her brother crushed her body from the inside out, to stop him from destroying all of every mage in_   _Aean_ _in his lust for power._  

 _Her sacrifice got buried in the with the documents of_ _Kanen's_ _madness._  

 _Other important Earth mages include:_ _Shinua_ _The Great, Prince Alexander, Solomon Dalai and_ _Jiseo_ _of_ _Highwyn_  

 **_K_** ** _nown branches of Earth mages -_ **  

 _G_ _iven that Earth mages have only been around for the better part of_ _two centuries_ _, there are only 40 documented branches of the element. The largest branch of mages being air, having 500 and over documented cases_ _of_ _Air_ _magic. (In the Old Religion they believed this was because the element Air was gifted four wind spirits as their keepers)_  

 _For the complete list of Earth mage branches see an_ actual  _mage history book._  

 _T_ _here are five main branches of Earth magic, there include Plant manipulation,_ _G_ _eokinesis_ _, Healing Earth, Petrification and Seismic Sense._  

 _Example: Petrification, used by the last High Priestess,_ _Shinua_ _the Great,in her last stand against the monarchy crushing_ _religion_ _, defeated the Kings entire army before succumbing to exhaustion. The stone statues were left as a shrine to the dead, can still be seen today at the ruined temple for the Old Religion. Named by the palace as the garden of lost souls, the people named it '_ _Shinua's_ _last stand'_ _._  

 **_Identifying an Earth Mage -_ **  

 _Earth Mages blend in well with humans, unlike Water and Fire_ _Mages, whose_ _appear_ _ances_ _are, unintentionally, very flashy_ _. Physically, their hair_ _colour's_ _do not vary beyond basic human_ _colour's_ _although_ _occasionally_ _some might sport a mossy green. When using magic, all Mage's eye's change_ _colour_ _. That_ _colour_ _is their elements signature. Water is blue, Air is grey, Fire is red and Earth is green._  

 _Personality wise Earth Mage's tend to be more grounded and mature. However, not quite masters of deception, they tend to be talented liars and actors. They can be territorial and isolated, but take care of what and who they regard as their own._  

 

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

 

Luhan groaned as he came to, a dull throbbing already working its way through his head. He was vaguely aware that someone was shouting, and if Luhan had a pillow, he'd certainly be putting it over his head, because it was too god damn early for this shit. 

As it happens, however, Luhan did not have a pillow. He had broken branches and hard forest floor. And as much as Luhan liked avoiding his responsibilities, he knew that after the  _dumbass_ stunt Kyungsoo pulled, everyone really needed to haul ass as soon as possible. 

So Luhan counted to ten and hauled himself up, trying to ignore the pain in his head. Within seconds a fussing Ji Yong was at him, concerned about his apparent concussion. Luhan channeled his best Minseok impression and fixed him with a 'now's not the time' look. Of course, it didn't work because Ji Yong, at the age of 15 was already four inches taller and ten times more intimidating than Luhan could dream of being. 

The source of the shouting was, surprise surprise, Minseok, who had Jongdae pinned up against a tree, as if that wasn't easily the most cliché'd sexual tension plot line ever. Luhan resisted the urge to tell them that they resembled a really bad romance novel, akin to the ones he had the misfortune of getting conned into buying and ended up reading anyway in a fit of boredom.

Yunyi was a small distance away, lying eerily still, sobered his thoughts. Not everyone had made it out of that encounter alright. It seemed Ji Yong had rushed from her side when Luhan had woke up. Luhan didn't want to think about what that meant just yet. 

"-because we all know what you are Jongdae, and I swear to the gods if you sold us out just to get into their good graces-" Minseok's ranting was cut off by a harsh shove from Jongdae, conveniently freeing himself. Jongdae's face was still pale from the shock of their ordeal, but his face was now set in an angry grimace. He wasn't about to take Minseok's accusations.

"You don't know shit about me Kim Minseok, I'd never sell out Kyungsoo, he's my best friend," Jongdae was pushing his slight height advantage on the uneven ground, which was a mistake because, whatever Minseok thought he was, didn't change the fact that Jongdae was still a ring rat, there was a reason he was often left behind on raids, and that was his skinny build. Minseok, in comparison, was easily intimidating despite his height. He'd spent years making up for his height disadvantage. Minseok could and did, when their behaviour got on his nerves too much, lift both Baekhyun and Kyungsoo out of his way, at the same time.  

Luhan hurriedly stepped in before the two could get into an actual fight.  _Again_. 

Last time they fought, Jongdae had ended up with slight pneumonia and Minseok had to spend a whole month in bed, because apparently lightning is a weakness to a water type, even though traditionally, it's always been the other way around. Kyungsoo had remained straight faced at the idea of lightning being Minseok's weakness when Luhan proposed it to him and said to him 'lightning is any man's weakness if it hit him on the _head_ , Luhan.'

"If you two are done flirting, can we maybe leave this place? I mean not that this whole impending bitch fight isn't really exciting and everything but we've got a critically ill girl on our hands and a missing – and extremely wanted – thief and earth mage. Just wondering what the priorities in this situation are." Luhan's impromptu speech had Jongdae looking away, slightly ashamed. Minseok, just glared at Jongdae for a beat longer before turning and marching to pick up Yunyi.  

Luhan moved to stand beside Jongdae, tutting and huffing over exaggeratedly at Minseok. He leaned over to whisper conspiratorially: 

"Don't worry about him, he's just in a huff because Kyungsoo saved his ass. Alpha male big brother issues, you know" Luhan gave Jongdae - what he thought was - a reassuring pat on the shoulder. By the look on Jongdae's face it was more awkward than reassuring. Luhan retracted his hand. Some people were hard to please. ~~¯\\_(ツ)_/¯~~

"He blew up the earth on the vague assumption that you would be okay to catch us out of the air. Not to mention the fact that he got himself captured by whatever scum bags that was tailing that carriage. I'd be pissed too." And with that Jongdae stormed off too. Luhan sighed. 

"Why do I even bother?" He asked the butterfly that had landed on a branch next to him. "Those drama queens are made for each other." 

The butterfly fluttered its wings for a moment, as if startled by the direct attention and then took off. Luhan gave an offended huff at the abandonment. 

"Traitor!" 

The butterfly didn't turn back.

"Come on, Luhan! Weren't you just complaining that we were taking too long?"

And they set off, finally, Luhan somehow ending up in the front, Minseok with Yunyi behind him, and Ji Yong between him and Jongdae, silently trying to keep the aggression to a minimum.  

Minseok was quiet, but not the stroppy silence he went into when something goes wrong, the contemplative kind, the  _dangerous_ kind, in Luhan's opinion.

"I know what you're thinking you know, and its completely stupid, just a heads up." Luhan said conversationally, knowing Minseok could hear him. "This is completely sound advice from an old friend that you should one hundred percent take in and actually listen to." 

"Definitely listening," Minseok grunted. "Unfortunately,"  

"Hey-" 

"There's no way they'll let him out, not knowing what he is - what he can do." Luhan sighed at this, though he kept on trudging through the forest, trying to navigate through the aftermath of Kyungsoo's explosion. The ripple effect had caused Luhan to lose his bearings, tree's upturned, land cave in's, but having practically grown up in this forest, Luhan was not about to be defeated by a little earthquake. 

"If I can at least get a message to him, I'll be able to get him an out. Kyungsoo will have a plan, I'm sure of it." Minseok said, as if Luhan had been arguing with him. And maybe he had, in his mind.

But Minseok didn't know that. 

Luhan took a deep breath, but Minseok cut him off  _again._  Which was really  _rude_.

"If I know my brother,  _and I do_ , he'll be waiting for me."  

_Of all the people I could get stuck with as a best friend, he had to get the self sacrificing one didn't he._

"He's going to need someone in there to look out for him, you know"

Luhan sucked in a sharp breath. Forced himself not to look at Minseok.

"Someone he can trust." 

Luhan rolled his eyes, willing the foliage out of his way, using a bit too much force on a particularly persistent branch and broke it off completely. 

 _Look what you made me do,_ _Minseok_ _, this tree had to suffer for your stupidity._  

"Will you look after him?" Minseok muttered quietly and Luhan's heart that was just too soft for him, melted just a tiny bit. Luhan knew he was about to agree to something that'd probably not end well for him. 

"You know he can look after himself," Luhan argued back halfheartedly, because maybe Kyungsoo would go easy on him when he inevitably found out if he at least tried to resist Minseok's ask. 

"I know. For my sake?" Oh, Minseok knew where to hit him hard, Luhan thought, resigned to his fate. 

As predicted, in a very Luhan fashion, his last defense was his  _mouth_ , or rather the words it produced. And once it opened...

"What happens to me? What do you think they do to pretty boys like me up in that castle, huh, Minseok? I could be sold! Or worse!  _Kept_ _._  I'm not made to be a kept boy Seokie, I'm am at one with the wind - I may be an air mage but my soul longs for the northern breeze! -" 

"Luhan-" Minseok tried,  _very rudely_ , to interrupt Luhan's rant, but he was just getting started. Luhan knew he had a tendency to go on a bit. It didn't harm anyone, really.  

"You don't have to-" 

"-Well, I mean, if you insist, I suppose I'll have to-" 

"I can get Yixing to go-" 

"I mean I'm the only man for the job, I'll have to sacrifice myself for the greater good, but it is a risk I am willing to take-"  

"Luhan." Minseok's voice was firm and commanding. Finally, Luhan shuts up long enough to look back at Minseok. 

"What?"  

"Thank you." Minseok had on his soft smile, the one he reserved for only himself and Kyungsoo. Luhan hated that smile the most because his best friend knew, the bastard knew exactly what the smile did to him.  

"Stop!" Luhan whined, turning around again to pick his way through that final familiar copse of trees. They were almost back in the lower ring. Luhan didn’t think he'd ever been so relieved to be back amongst the aroma of sweat and mud again, but miracles do happen.  

"You know I hate it when you-" Luhan cut himself off, suddenly unsettled by the eerie silence around him. He whirled around to face Minseok – or, at least, where Minseok used to be standing. Now he was being carted off by two huge guards, humans too by the looks of it.  

Luhan felt arms grab him from behind him, and Luhan, for just a moment, was stunned with confusion.  _What the fresh fuck-_  

"Do not resist, it is not you we are here for" A deep voice sounded in his ear, causing Luhan to duck away from the proximity.  

"Listen buddy, I don’t know you like that, so I suggest you-" The guard cut him off by tightening his hold on Luhan's arms behind his back. "Wow, okay, never mind, a friendly whisper in the ear never hurt nobody anyway," 

Minseok made a show of struggling against them, in fact, even earned himself a nasty punch in the eye. Luhan winced, but Minseok caught his eye and sent him a grin. 

 _O_ _h, for the love of-_  

Luhan barely restrained from swearing once he realized what Minseok was planning on doing

Well, Luhan thought resignedly, at least they don’t even realize he's a mage.  

"Stop resisting. Kim Minseok you are being charged with high treason against His Majesty King Kwang-Do," The guard began rattling off a bunch of procedures as if he wasn’t in the lower ring. He must be an official from the Estermere gate. Because no guards at wyrdgaen even bothered with their rights – they were from the lower ring, they didn’t even have any rights. 

"Oh dear no," Luhan called, unenthusiastically. "Not my Minseokie, why I never- on what grounds, sir guard?" 

If the guard was confused by Luhan's blatant sarcasm, it didn’t show. He just grunted and began listing a bunch of charges, half of which, Luhan didn’t even realize there was a law against. Where else was a man gonna piss, if not in the street? In his own home, surely, he must be mad?  _Indecent exposure, my ass._  

Ji Yong and Jongdae, at least, were nowhere to be seen.  _Small miracles,_  Luhan thought dryly. He wasn’t in the mood to save another two idiots. 

"Well, have fun being executed!" Luhan called cheerfully as they began loading Minseok in his cart. The guard behind him seemed to be relaxing behind him. Idly, Luhan thought about how this would be the perfect chance to pull the hero move and run to rescue his friend. 

But he couldn’t, because his friend was an idiot who actually wanted to get captured. 

 _C_ _ongratulations, you got your in! It only cost me my dignity, asshole._  

But Luhan was not dumb enough to shout that to Minseok in this moment, and decided to keep that gem for later, when all of this was over. There was already a growing list for  _that_ particular rant. 

Only when Minseok was completely secure in his little jail cart did the guard actually drop Luhan, who dropped into an unceremonious heap on the floor.  

"What can I say? Being held by such a strapping gentleman makes me weak in the knees!" Luhan called to the guards back. He got up slowly, dusting himself off, thinking about how many times he'd been thrown around today. "I'm already concussed, what's a few bruises added to that?"  

"Alright lightning boy come out, we got shit to do, and find that little healer, I think that asshole bruised my tailbone!" 

 

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

 

 

Kyungsoo looked at Minseok, then down to his cuffs, then finally to the King, and heaved a deep sigh. 

Minseok was shunted into the throne room, looking like he hadn't slept in nine years because someone was using his face as a meat grinder. He was not a pretty sight. Kyungsoo tried not to wince at the sight. 

"Well, what is to be the verdict then, little earth shaker, should we have him hung, drawn and quartered?" The King got off his podium to stalk a closer to Minseok, grabbing his chin and tilting his face up to look at the bastard. Kyungsoo's fist clenched without his permission.  _Bastard._  

"Or," The King paused, as if pondering his next words. "Since he's so small and pretty, perhaps we should burn him at the stake? Such is the punishment for women who commit high treason." The King leaned down closer to his face, their noses almost touching, Minseok didn't move a muscle, his whole body tensed. He look ready to snap at any moment. Kyungsoo forced himself to stay in place. "Would you like that, Kyungsoo?" 

The King was addressing him. This show was for him. Minseok was just a tool to taunt him with.

Minseok spat in his face. The King did not flinch, but moved away with a sigh, as if this disappointed him. 

"Such barbarians, where are your manners?" He tsk'd, taking a napkin from a servant who'd scurried out from the sidelines. He wiped his face, and as quickly as he'd turned to rid himself of the rag, he was back facing Minseok, his hand shot out to slap him across the face. As the crack boomed around the room, Kyungsoo could barely feel himself breathe, trying to focus all his energy on the endgame. The King wanted something from him and Kyungsoo had an inking of what it would take to get him to do it.

"Didn't you Mother ever teach you manners and respect?" The King gave Minseok a long, slow smile. "Or do you even have a mother?" 

"I'd never respect a bastard like you!" Minseok jerked in his chains and Kyungsoo got a flash of the scarlet hand shape across his cheekbones

"Enough of this taunting, you know who he is to me, you know I will accept your offer if you let him free. Give me your terms and I will abide them." Kyungsoo finally gave in, not wanting to risk anything further abuse on his brother. To the King it looked like Kyungsoo's control had snapped. But what Kyungsoo needed was time. He didn’t believe the King would let Minseok go when he had such a strong bargaining chip. What he needed was to get Minseok out this castle, then there would only be one oath Kyungsoo could be forced into. 

"You must think I'm insane? Why would I let such a high risk terrorist free amongst my people?" The King paused, then slid a hand over the sore red mark on Minseok's face, who flinched for a moment. "Although, a few weeks in the dungeons would do wonders for those bulky arms of his. A little bit of kohl on his eyes and a little drop of rouge in his cheeks and he'd be the perfect play thing for my men. They cant afford the palace escorts, you see, he'd be the best thing. Strap him up and take him behind to keep the fantasy alive."  

Kyungsoo thought he had self restraint in the bag, really. But even to Kyungsoo, who'd seen the worst of the worst in the lower ring, the scum of the earth tended to gather there, and even then, Kyungsoo rarely got riled up. This King was an obsessive power whore. As if he knew that even cornered, Kyungsoo wouldn’t bow to him. This was the King reinforcing his dominance. 

Even with that reminder, Kyungsoo barely reigned himself in from attacking the King, shackles as well. 

"Well, if you consider that a fate better than death, then you have a deal. Do you want your brothers inner's on display for the public, or do you want his outer's on display for the select few?" The King let out a booming laugh at his word choice, Kyungsoo's teeth ground together at the sound. 

"Deal." Kyungsoo hissed out, unable to contain the contempt leaking out of him.  

His nails dug into his fists so sharply he knew for certain he'd drawn blood.

The King's small glance down at his clenched fist was enough answer that he'd noticed.

"I'm sorry what was that? I'm gonna need the exact words." The King was grinning ear to ear now. Minseok shifted slightly, a sign for him to continue, to go through with it. 

Kyungsoo sucked in a harsh breath.

 _Calm yourself._ Minseok's placating voice sounded in his head and Kyungsoo made a valiant effort to unclench his teeth. 

"Sell him to your men, to save his life." Kyungsoo made his mouth work, thinking about ~~gutting the King like a fish~~  the day the King's reign would come to an end to distract himself from the bitter taste selling his brother out put on his tongue. 

The King cackled delightedly. 

"And what about you, dear brother, how does it feel to be under the bosom of your baby brothers protection?" He hadn't left Minseok's side since he entered his personal space, as if he knew just being there infuriated Kyungsoo to no end.  

"Fuck you" was all the response the King got from Minseok and the King smiled and stood up, gesturing the guards forward. 

"Swear it." The King said, turning to Kyungsoo properly and addressing him. "Swear the oath and your brother's life will remain safe." 

Kyungsoo took a deep breath. 

"I swear to keep my oath to be betrothed to Prince Chanyeol on the day of his coronation and shall stay with him in the palace until the day of his coronation, should my brother, Kim Minseok, remain protected." And with that Kyungsoo's words honour bound him by the Gods to serve the King and his Prince to whatever means necessary. Kyungsoo knew, somehow, that his wedding vows would be much worse. The King would go out of his way to make sure Kyungsoo suffered as much as possible on that day.

"Take him away," The King gave a wave of his hand in dismissal and sauntered back to his throne. 

_Fuck._

Its time.

"Wait!" Kyungsoo shouted desperately. "Can't I say goodbye?"  

The King turned, tawny eyes searching him in amusement at his show of weakness. He seemed satisfied with whatever he found in Kyungsoo's expression.

"Just a moment then," 

And so Minseok was set free to limp to Kyungsoo. Finally seeing his brothers batter face unlocked all his joints. He stumbled forward.

Kyungsoo reached him first, chain and everything in his way. He touched both hands to Minseok's face. 

"I'm sorry, Seokie, I never meant for this to happen." His fingers began tapping. 

-.-. 

"It's okay, I forgive you, it's my fault I shouldn’t have come after you," Four taps in quick succession. 

....

"Don’t blame yourself, just be safe, hang on for me," Just a single beat this time, this time using the hand facing the King. 

. 

"That’s enough, time up," The King announced, as the guards began pulling them apart they joined hands, only for a brief moment, but just enough for two swift taps to Minseok's rough palm, one beat longer than the first. 

-. 

And then they were separated.

And now Kyungsoo just had to wait for the other half to do their fucking job. And hopefully, get him out too. 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> idk this is good or not i started getting comments (which i didn't expect lmao) on the last chapter so i dont know if this is gonna live up to what the first chapter was its shorter but i hope u enjoy :)


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> its been like a whole ass month im sorry yall pls forgive me  
> ive still got like 5 pending assessments pray 4 me

When Baekhyun awoke, stretching out like a satisfied cat, knowing he was beautifully naked and absolutely ravishing, he was hoping for some sweet morning sex and possibly free breakfast, from whatever suitor he'd managed to bag from the tavern the night before. What he didn't expect, however, was Zhang Yixing, who had annoyingly taken to behaving like his personal nurse maid, glaring his night visitor out of the room. Yixing had gained himself a reputation for his strong ear grabbing, and throwing any of Baekhyun's visitors out on their ass, - gently, of course, he is a doctor after all.

Baekhyun sat up in a strop, petulantly covering himself (he learnt his lesson from last time that Zhang Yixing has no qualms about covering your bits for you – even Baekhyun, who was known for his shamelessness, was brought to heel by Yixing's mothering.) Yixing began shuffling around Baekhyun's room in the tavern as if he lived here himself, and going about his usual routine, Much to his dismay, Baekhyun noted he had his medicine bag  _and_ The Tray Of Doom. 

"What is it now?" Baekhyun's voice came out as a high-pitched whine, that he used to get his way (or in Kyungsoo's case, annoy the shit out of him) but Yixing wasn't fazed, fixing Baekhyun with a dimpled smile, and lifted the tray full of horrible looking healthy things, all of which looking worse than the suspicious looking green slop that Yixing claimed was medicine.

Baekhyun groaned loudly. Yixing placed it on his bedside table, humming softly to himself, ignoring Baekhyun's glare directed at the side of his head.  
"You don't have to eat it, but I'm assuming you don’t plan on being bed ridden for the rest of your life?" Yixing turned to him, raising his eyebrows. Baekhyun flopped back onto the bed with a huff. "Your night escapades don't help either."

Baekhyun stuck his tongue out at him. Yixing sighed dramatically. 

"I just thought you'd want some food before your medicine, you know, if you're going to throw it up again, there's no point in taking the medicine with it." Yixing had that sparkle in his eyes, like he knew he was making Baekhyun's life more difficult than it needed to be.

"Give it here then," Baekhyun grouched, because even if the food was horrible, the burning sensation that came with throwing up his medicine was easily  _worse._

Honestly, Baekhyun admired what Yixing was doing for him, really, but the only thing that was wrong with him was a little magic drain and if Baekhyun was being entirely honest with himself, his magic was a pathetic drizzle compared to the hurricanes that were his friends. Even his sister, who was supposed to be his double, had gotten the better draw at birth,  _she_ wasn't the one stuck in a tavern after a plain old witch attack, even though she'd fared worse than him. 

It wasn't his fault that he had the magical equivalent of a puddle. 

So Baekhyun didn’t understand Yixing's fussing, who he hadn't even properly met until he was carted up to this damned room in the tavern and left to rot. Minseok was surely punishing him for hiding changing his hair dye to pink that one time, which, by the way, was one time and won't happen again. (it will). Baekhyun wasn't used to being stuck inside. Although he wasn't exactly a nature boy like Kyungsoo, Baekhyun had grown up mostly outside, with complete independence. It was not in his nature to be cooped up inside. And Yixing only made good conversation when he felt like it. 

And that was when Yixing could visit. 

Baekhyun had only seen Yixing four times, in the whole two weeks he'd been stuck under his supervision. So Baekhyun didn't think it was completely unorthodox to want some company to ease his restlessness. 

His skin felt prickly as he began to tuck into his food. Maybe he should start wearing under garments to bed, if the weather insisted on being so awful. 

He could almost hear Kyungsoo's rueful voice in his ear, just then,  _that would be the day._ Baekhyun and nakedness were good friends now. If Baekhyun could reasonable spend the rest of his life naked, he certainly would,  _especially_ , if Yixing disapproved. And maybe Minseok too, but only for nefarious means of course. Kyungsoo had given his consent to Baekhyun bedding his brother, if only because he had behaved so insufferably in his pining. Now all Baekhyun needed was the main man himself to give his consent.

Which, he would gladly give, if Baekhyun were allowed to walk around naked. 

Baekhyun grinned wickedly into his awful soup at his not-so-innocent thoughts.

Yixing looked up from where he'd been fixing Baekhyun's green goop into some sort of edible form, as if the Doctor had a radar for inappropriate thoughts, and narrowed his eyes at Baekhyun. 

"Eat your soup before it gets cold. Your medicine is almost ready." 

And that certainly wiped the smile off Baekhyun's face.

As he continued to pick at his food, Baekhyun's uneasy feeling from earlier returned with a fierce vengeance, and Baekhyun straightened up in alarm, just in time for a flustered looking Luhan to crash through the door

Baekhyun almost relaxed at the sight of Luhan, who was definitely known for his penchant for the dramatics.

But Luhan's face was tight and Yixing was by him in a minute.

Baekhyun's food toppled off the bed in his haste to follow.

"Yixing, Kyungsoo needs your help. And Baek, I'm sorry, but your sister, - Baek, are you okay?"

It happened just as Baekhyun stood up. Baekhyun's face had gone sheet white and his eye's rolled back in his head. This had only happened once before.

 

At first it was only a shiver going up his spine as he stood, freezing Baekhyun in place, remembering that sensation all too well. Then, a crack of light filled his vision, and suddenly he felt the whole world was burning. His eyes were burning. And he couldn't see anything but a blinding white light. 

He felt like he was trapped inside the sun, the light scorching his retina's.

He could faintly hear Yixing's trying to bring him down, back, but Baekhyun was beyond his reach in the fire.

The heat was so intense, and yet, so, so familiar.

And Baekhyun could hear crying.

Everything around him was so intensely white and burning. Burning so hot and bright that Baekhyun thought his brain might burst.

Baekhyun couldn't move in the light, couldn't see. Couldn't find whoever was crying. But he knew it. He knew that voice.

In his heart.

She was his other half, his slightly more impressive other half, at that.

"Yunyi?" He called, tried to step forward, blind. He was being restrained. But he could hear her, over the roaring of the fire in his ear, over the sharp pain that had caused him to double over.

The crying had stopped. 

Baekhyun could feel heat, down his face, like blood, like tears. It burned.

"Baekhyun?" It was small, hesitant and terrified. She was the older one, what did she have to be afraid of? The child in Baekhyun that had always his behind her cried out in fear of the unknown. 

"Where are you?" He tried to turn, his senses were screaming at him to lay down, threatening to overtake him. He was going to loose consciousness soon. He screamed her name once more.

"Its dark in here Baek, don't come any closer." Her voice was hoarse and Baekhyun wanted to cry that he couldn't, even if he wanted to, to get her back, to save her from whatever nightmare she was suffering from.

Baekhyun screamed for her once more, the blackness he knew as unconsciousness was coming down now, his brain telling him he couldn't anymore, it was time to shut down.

"Yunyi!" There was only a sob in response, and then

"I don't know where I am."

And Baekhyun fell into the cold blanket of unconsciousness. 

 

////////////////////////////

 

Kyungsoo hadn't slept a wink over night, Minseok's bruised face on the forefront of his mind. Him and Minseok had always been a team like this, they had to trust each other explicitly, else they wouldn't work. But it was afterwards, in the aftermath, that Kyungsoo's brain stopped functioning on survival mode, to realize the implications of his actions. For all he knew, he could have just sentenced his brother to death. Kyungsoo knew that if Minseok did escape, he'd be sending him to a place possibly worse than the Kings imprisonment. And sending him back, with  _Jongdae_ , who Kyungsoo had seen coming off those slave ships years ago, and Kyungsoo was sending him back.  

Kyungsoo hurriedly pushed the images from his mind, occupying himself with thoughts of Minseok's escape, which would have to happen before any of Kyungsoo's plans could even fall in to place.  

Kyungsoo watched the sun rise through the balcony of the room as he ran through all the possibilities of something going wrong. Kyungsoo had noticed Minseok's cuffs were only regular steel, not iron and that relieved a small bit of the weight pushing down on the forefront of his mind. At least he still had access to his magic, if it got down to it, he could fight his way out. 

Kyungsoo had no option. He could feel his magic stirring impatiently under the reigns of the iron surrounding him. It wasn’t used to being chained up. Neither was Kyungsoo for that matter. And even if Kyungsoo could access his magic, he was bound by his word to the King. The Earth Mother herself would see to it that he fulfilled it.  

As the sunlight chased away the last remnants of the night before, there was an abrupt knock at the door. Kyungsoo snorted at the thought of anyone politely knocking on a prisoners door. 

When he got to the door, he almost laughed, because really, he shouldn’t have been surprised that it was Kai.  

"To what do I owe the pleasure?" Kyungsoo said, amusing himself briefly at his pleasantry. Kai's lips quirked a little at his opening, but otherwise, gave no reaction that he'd heard him. He gestured about coming inside, which was already laughable, and Kyungsoo was tempted to refuse, just to see what he would do, but Kai had been so polite that it almost seemed rude to do so.

It probably was anyway, but Kyungsoo was raised in a forest, so he didn't quite know if it was or not. (of course he's going to milk that excuse for a while).

"The King believes you should have a tour of the palace and its grounds before tomorrow. You're to put on these dress clothes for now, your wardrobe will be stocked shortly with clothes of your own to wear once the seamstress has seen to you." Kai stopped for a moment, when he realized Kyungsoo was still by the door.

The Guard at it hadn't rushed to close it behind Kai as he had the day before. Kyungsoo wasn't locked in the castle by iron anymore, but trapped by his own words. Kyungsoo could already feel his magic pulse back to life, flowing back through his vain's as the iron circuit the door created was broken. Like cutting off the blood flow for a moment, and then feeling the life flow back into you after it is freed.

There must be wards to slow down the initial pulse of magic, Kyungsoo thought idly, because the magic had only trickled in when the door opened at first. Kyungsoo wondered briefly about how old the palace must be, to be in possession of such old wards. Kai had began to walk closer to Kyungsoo, who clearly hadn't been paying much attention to him, holding up another set of hideous dress clothes, like the ones from before, that Kyungsoo had wrestled off his body and into a pile in the corner of the room.

"Sir?" He questioned hesitantly, inching into the center of Kyungsoo's vision. The wave of irritation that pulsed through him at the action reminded him starkly of Jongdae, who liked to get Kyungsoo's attention by taking up his whole e n t i r e line of site. Kyungsoo clamped down on that thought immediately, lest he let his affection for his friend cloud his judgement. 

"Yes, Kai, what could you possibly want of a poor prisoner like me? And what do you mean tomorrow? What's so important about tomorrow?" Kyungsoo said, meeting Kai's eyes, which were narrowing at him in slight annoyance.

"So you were listening!" He accused, and then flushed slightly at his own forward tone and hastily tacked on a 'sir' at the end.

"Were I listening or not, is completely not the point." Kyungsoo paused, thankful that Kai was shy and would not call him out on his bullshit. Especially since the door was open and the Guards could definitely still hear them. Closing the door, Kyungsoo turned back to Kai raising a finger at him.

"The point is what your going to make me do tomorrow?" Kyungsoo snatched the clothes from Kai's room and started to make his way to the make shift wash area. Kai gave a flustered cough when he realized Kyungsoo was planning to get undressed with him in the room with him. He took to determinedly staring at the wall. 

Kyungsoo might have pushed further on his discovery from yesterday and flirted with the boy further, were he not so impatient for Kai to actually answer him.

"Well?" He demanded, trying to lace up the ridiculous trousers. Why trousers needed to be laced though each other so many times was beyond him. 

"What?" Was Kai's startled response. 

"What happening tomorrow." Kyungsoo hissed through gritted teeth, frustrated now with both Kai and the stupid trousers.

"Oh that,"  _Yes, that._ Kyungsoo mocked silently, sending him a glare. He ended up tying the laces of the trousers in a big ugly knot.

Kai gave an impatient huff and was very abruptly in Kyungsoo's personal space, causing Kyungsoo to suddenly straighten up.

_Well, isn't that a bit forward?_

"You're meeting the royal family," Kai continued on, unfazed, and Kyungsoo was suddenly unbothered by his lack of clothing either, listening attentively. "Informally, of course, as you have no real training on how to behave in front of a crowd. Now that would be a disaster,"

Kyungsoo gave an indignant huff at that, but otherwise kept quiet on it. He watched Kai's fingers deftly tug the laces through the proper holes and tie them in the places they were supposed to be tied.

"Don't worry. You'll have classes to improve your people skills. You cannot go around scowling at people when you are the consort of the future crowned prince." As if triggered by Kai's words, Kyungsoo's eyebrows came down in his signature glower.

"Hey-" He protested.

"And we'll definitely have to do something about that posture of yours-"

"Excuse you-"

"And don't get me started on that hair, do they really let you you grow it so rough in the lower ring?"

"I'll have you know-"

His words were cut off by a particularly hard yank from Kai, and Kyungsoo fell silent, hoping he would continue his rambling. People revealed many things when they were rambling.

He probably would have, too, if the Guard had not walked in at that moment, Kyungsoo, half dressed, with Kai's hand at his trouser fastenings.

Kai jumped away like he'd been shocked, which was typical, and Kyungsoo rolled his eyes, because honestly, discretion wasn't the kid forte.

The Guard gave no indication that he was bothered in any way by what he'd walked in on. 

"The Warden is asking of your presence, I suggest you make haste, sir." The honorific was directed at Kyungsoo, but Kyungsoo knew the warning was for Kai. 

When the Guard left Kai left no time in getting Kyungsoo's shirt and overcoat on him. Thankfully, the socks and shoes were left to Kyungsoo.

When Kyungsoo was ready, Kai finally began his grand tour. 

They started in the kitchens. 

"You won't ever need to come here officially, but it has always been a rite of passage for the young princes to sneak down here and steal food at midnight. I'm sure you'll find it useful, anyhow." Kai had said briskly, but his eyes glittered like he knew a secret. It mimicked Baekhyun's shit eating "I-know-something-you-dont" grin and Kyungsoo ground his teeth against the affection and longing that thought brought. 

The cook was a pleasant and smiling woman, who looked questioningly at Kai when he introduced them, as if she too was baffled by this introduction. Her name was Melina and she was tall and round and very soft looking. They certainly didn't make them like that in the lower ring. Kyungsoo was slightly in awe of her.

They made their ways through impressive large rooms, most of which made no sense, because why would someone need a room specifically for drawing? If they were worried about the mess, just paint outside!

The main hall was grand and luxurious and Kyungsoo grudgingly admitted it was very pretty. The stones embedded in the wall sang a sweet melody in his ear as they passed by, calling out to the child of the earth. He ran a hand lightly along a row of amber's, and feeling them sigh with pride as he appreciated their beauty.

Kai had been mostly professional throughout the tour, not even giving way to Kyungsoo's wry comments, but every now and then, he'd get a twinkle in his eye, like he was amused by something. It was started to grate on Kyungsoo's nerves. Like when Kyungsoo finally met the castle seamstress, Kang Seulgi, who's catlike features lit up at the site of him. Her excitement lessened drastically at the site of Kyungsoo. Kyungsoo didn't blame her, because wow _._

" _Seulgi?"_ Kyungsoo knew his voice was doing an embarrassing lilt, but having been almost murdered by her, shot his nerves a little bit and well, Kyungsoo had maybe been praying that she'd fallen into a ditch somewhere and couldn't get out. 

"Kyungsoo." Her voice was like acid, and so was the vicious slap that accompanied it. 

Kai's shocked and appalled face was nearly worth it.

"Wow, I did not deserve that-"

"You cheated on me!"

"Well, I wouldn't put it like that-"

"With my brother!"

"I - we were on a break!"

Kai had had the good sense to abruptly steer Kyungsoo back out of the room.

"So didn't know she was working up here." Kyungsoo let out an awkward chuckle.

"Didn't you? It was quite the talk when the King found a fire mage who could spin thread into gold." Kai gave him a raised eyebrow.

Of course Kyungsoo knew. There was a reason he had yet to meet his untimely demise and that reason was Kang Seulgi's recruitment into the palace.

Finally, Kai steered Kyungsoo towards an exit, leading out onto a large training field.

There was a large running track, and at the far side of it, was the beginnings of the forest, that surrounded everywhere in this town. There were plenty of people running around, blatant displays of magic at the far end of the field. If the castle was a completely knew setting for Kyungsoo, this was even worse. In the lower ring, magic was something you practiced in fear, those found with it regarded with disgust. It was like a completely different world up here.

"This field belongs to the academy." Kai said gesturing towards a large grey building towards the of the castle. It was intimidating and looming, and Kyungsoo felt a shiver looking at it, maybe in slight anticipation of what was to come. "That's where you're going to learn to master your magic."

Kyungsoo snorted at Kai's obnoxious wording, giving the boy a side eye.

He was just about to issue a totally witty and sarcastic response when something very  _large_ and  _hard_ hit him on the back of the head.

Kyungsoo hit the mud with an undignified slump.

When he came to, moments later, there was a giant invading his personal space. And Kyungsoo jumped in shock, butting heads with the idiot in question.

"What the hell is it with you palace jerks and staying in my personal space!" Kyungsoo fumed standing up, rubbing at his forehead and trying to wipe the mud off his clothes, because  _wow_ he really didn't want to face the wrath of the seamstress now for ruining his clothes.

The boy had jerked back, and was now sitting on the field cradling his own head, which was surrounded by an array of shocking red, a fire mage no doubt, and a pain in the ass as well, no less. Kyungsoo knew a little about fire mages that's for sure.

"Woah, listen man, I am so sorry_" The red head began, but Kyungsoo's head was really stinging from the double impact and what did he hit him with in the first place? A fucking rock? And his brother's life was on the line for his sake. Kyungsoo's facade of a good attitude had reached its end and Kyungsoo was really not in the mood for this.

"Oh, you're sorry? Yeah, well tell that to my impending concussion,  _asshole._ " Kyungsoo could feel his adrenaline pumping. The tensions of the last few days breaking within him.

"That's a bit rude, I was only trying to apologise," The kid said, frowning, taking Kai's hand to be helped up, (which miraculously appeared out of nowhere - where was the help for me Kai?) There was a crowd beginning to gather around them now.

"Yeah, well maybe I'll be be a bit more considerate when I'm not nursing a migraine, what the heck did you even hit me with?" Kyungsoo hissed, eyes beginning to sting due to the throbbing at the back of his skull.

" _You'll be more considerate?_ Do you know who I am?" The redhead hissed, and wow, at full height, he really wasn't a kid after all, in fact, at full height, this kid could probably break Kyungsoo in half. Luckily, Kyungsoo reckoned he had a bit more muscle mass if it came down to a fist fight. The kid was like a bean pole.

"Yeah, you're a punk ass kid who needs to learn some manners," Kyungsoo really didn't have time for testy little pureblood kids shoving their privilege in his face.

"I'll have you know-" That line was crossing so many lines of snobbery in Kyungsoo's book that was really unacceptable, "that I am the future-"

The kid didn't get to finish his sentence, Kyungsoo punched him square on the jaw, and like a light switch, the kid went down,

And similarly to that light switch simile, so did Kyungsoo, because he was tackled to the ground by guards.

"Oh my god, Kyungsoo, that's the future crown prince!" Kai's voice found Kyungsoo in the chaos, sounding like it was bordering on hysteria.

 _Well,_ Kyungsoo thought to himself as he was dragged away from the scene by guards,  _if I die, I die knowing I punched the future King._

 

 

Later on that night, after Kai had ranted a raved till he was blue in the face, when Kyungsoo finally lay alone in his bedroom, the small hum of magic in the air, chanting the same thing over and over again. You wouldn't be able to notice if you weren't looking for it. But Kyungsoo was.

_Come find me_

It whispered into the night.

Kyungsoo grinned up to the sky.

They were in.

 

_/////////////////////////////_

 

Luhan rubbed a spot between his eyes as he reached a circle room, finally out of that god awful dank passage way. Being an air mage meant he'd become a snob of sorts in a way that meant he wanted oxygen and he wanted it in bulk and not polluted with sewage. Of course beggars cant be choosers, but in this shining moment, Luhan considered himself the handsome and charming protagonist who did not deserve this treatment.

He could hear the whisper of guards in the rooms above him and felt his stomach turned with unease.

 _The bastard better be here_. Luhan thought viciously, because really it wasn't easy sending a microscopic wave of magic small enough to evade a castles thousand year old magic detection system, or whatever it was they were using. It was old and bothersome, that's all Luhan knew. Maybe someone boring and interested in magic history  _like Kyungsoo_ could figure it out for him.

The room was stifling, even in the freezing cold weather outside, the whole place stank. Luhan briefly entertained the thought of suffocating himself then and there to end his suffering.

There was a quiet shuffling and Luhan stiffened in his corner, quieting his breathing so a low hum and flattened against the dirt wall. He stood in the passage way entrance, unwilling to cross the threshold into the circle room because circle rooms were certainly not built to hide yourself in.

He waited with baited breath for a long beat of silence.

A wet cough sounded and Luhan narrowed his eyes at the approaching shadow. The shadow stopped a minute, another stark quietness, Luhan could hear his heart beating in his chest and then-

"Luhannie?"

Luhan let out a soft sigh and stepped into the light.

"Wow you look like shit." Minseok's face was badly bruised and there was a swollen welt forming across his cheek in the form of a hand print. Luhan felt a small wave of rage flood through him. He pushed it aside for the moment though, because his friend was hurt and in need of his help.

He gave Luhan a small, cocky smile.

"Its good to see you too," And then a shadow crossed his expression. "I could still get Yixing to-"

Luhan stopped him with a sharp huff.

"You've already asked enough of him Seokie," Luhan didn't mean to be so harsh, but Yixing's haunted expression after Luhan finally peeled him away from Baekhyun's bedside, was enough to deter Luhan from ever even breathing too loudly in his old friends vicinity, if there was a chance it bothered him.

"Has it really gotten so bad for him here?" Minseok asked, his face burdened by all the lives who'd been put at risk to pull this off, the lives he'd be putting further at risk to get Kyungsoo out.

"Not here, old boy, we need to get you out of here." Minseok nodded and began shuffling to leave.

He hesitated as he closed in on Luhan.

"Luhan, when i said look after him, I-" he cut himself off and shook his head. "It might be a while before i make it back."

Luhan felt a lump form in his throat. A flash of fear went through his brain. He'd known Kyungsoo would have a plan. But how grand would it be? In Luhan's mind there was no possible way for his escape.

Surely, an escape like that must come with a terrible price.

"What are you talking about?" Luhan asked, fearing he'd regret asking.

"Luhan," Minseok opened his mouth, and then closed it again. "Did you bring him?"

Luhan frowned, confused.

"Dae? Of course, he was the only one left who would be fit enough to cart your ass back to Ji Yong." Luhan stated matter-of-factly before continuing. "In fact, he did insist on coming, Seokie what am I missing here? Does he know what's going on?"

Luhan's voice had begun to rise slightly forgetting where he was. He liked to think he had a pretty decent patience level. But these damn kids and their secrets were trying their best to drive him to premature graying.

Minseok shushing him in a brisk manner, pausing to listen for Guards. Nothing.

"Jongdae's has probably figured out what Soo already figured out. Figured out how we're gonna bust him out." Minseok was looking sad now. Tired beyond his years almost.

"And how do you plan on doing that?" Luhan asked acerbically, because he'd had it with Minseok's riddles.

Minseok opened his mouth to speak but they were startled in place when they heard the distinct sound of boots on the rocky concrete of the floor, the was a noise carried from the far passage way.

Luhan felt his breath catch. He had to say goodbye now. And he didn't know how long for.

"Take care of yourself," Minseok grabbed him in a quick hug, and pulled back for a minute, to press a single kiss to his forehead, a sweet goodbye.

"How sappy," Luhan called, out of obligation, feeling sick. 

Minseok gave him his best smile and took off hobbling into the tunnel behind him.

Luhan allowed himself his best dramatic look of despair one last time, at the darkness Minseok had vanished into before stiffening his shoulders at the shuffling of the oncoming guards.

"Hello boys,"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> its almost a filler chapter this one? maybe thats why i struggled so much with it (and wow college really saps all your motivation huh) it was more character introductions i guess! you met yixing and baek! and chanyeol woot woot did someone say angst ahaha sorry  
> its also literally half 2 in the morning i have an assigment due at midnight tonight and i havent started because i decided hey lets write that chapter ive been putting off how bout that


	4. Chapter 4

**_The_** ** _Fire_** ** _Mage ~ Excerpt from Samil_** ** _T_** ** _ralwan's_** ** _"_** ** _a_** ** _relatively unbiased account_** ** _of_** ** _Mage_** ** _History"_**   

**_Fire Mages, An Introduction[](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Alchemy_fire_symbol.svg)_ **

_In the old religion, the god of fire was the son of the Earth mother. She birthed the three-elemental god's to help protect her creation from the Fae god Sol, the trickster spirit of the sun, who's children preyed on the clay children for their own divine pleasures. The new gods were born of the Earth Mother's consort, Sola-Nyx, a combination goddess of the sun and night. A deal was struck between Terra and her children, in return for their protection and blessings, the clay children would honour and worship their respective gods._

_These gods were called Ignis, the god of fire, Aqua, the goddess of water, and Venti, the multi-faced god of the air._

_Ignis was a temperamental god and through his element birthed temperamental mages._

_Though the New Religion will have you believe all mages are descendants of the elemental gods, this is not a truth universally acknowledged._

_Whilst Mila Fireheart is the most famous mage in mage history and the founding mother of the new royals after the Orc War, her origins are spotty at best. In mythology she is said to have appeared from the ashes of the humans the Orcs had conquered. However, there is evidence depicting her origins in a faction of human resistance fighter's who had been driven into the woods. Though her age when she came into power is unknown, she was alive when the great fall happened, sixty years after the first mage child was sent onto the front lines._

_There are many famous fire mages, including, but not limited to, the generation of fire mage's in the royal family's pure bloodline._

_That said, there hasn't been a pure Fireheart born into the royal family since Princess Lee Kara in the era of Kanen._

_Other fire mages worthy of note are; Elzabeth Morley, Wu Lin the Defender, Heimlin and The Current Crowned Prince Kwang Do._

**_Known branches of Fire_ _M_ _ages_ _-_ **

_Though it is the first and most widely known branch of elemental magic, it has a considerably less amount of branches in its own right. Still there are over 200 documented cases of Fire mages. Like all other elements, these have been simplified down to the five most well known branches of Fire magic._

_See another guide for a complete list._

_The five main branches of fire magic consist of Pyro-telekinesis, Fire Mimicry, White Fire Manipulation (The Fireheart), Pyrokinetic Combat, Healing Fire._

_For example, Heimlin, the only documented case of pyro-telekinesis (or telekinesis in any element), while not particularly strong, was a court jester who gained fame for saving the queen, and going on to marry her and become her consort after the untimely demise of her husband and King at the time. His telekinesis prevented a collapsing column from falling on her majesty._

**_Identifying a Fire Mage  -_ **

_Fire Mage's have always had a flashy image, Mila Fireheart herself was said to have glowing red locks. A Fire Mage's colour can range anywhere from pastel pinks to a deep red. Elzabeth Morley gained fame for having orange skin as a result of her Mimicry abilities._

_Although Fire Mage's have developed a negative reputation for having an explosive temper, there personalities tend to lean toward warm hearted and giving, especially Hearth Type Fire Mages. However, they are easily moved into the defensive and tend to make extremely loyal, hardworking soldiers. This trait is said to have come from the god Ignis who was reborn as a warrior in the New Religion._

 

//////////////////////////////

 

 As the head Councillor droned on, Yifan found himself trying not to fall asleep. He had been in this meeting for over an hour and yes, as official heir to the throne, he knew he should be paying sharp attention. But when all the noble man wanted to discuss was the rising costs of clothing in the capital, then Yifan had other things to daydream about.

His brother, Junmyeon, sat at his side, straight backed and wide eyed, looking like the ever perfect attentive son. Yifan knew better, though, Junmyeon had perfected his business face long before Yifan had even started. Junmyeon's only tells were the slightly glassy look in his eyes. 

Yifan, lips twitching, told his brother exactly what he thought of his brothers straight laced facade, in that special way of his.

_Are you sure you can't sit any straighter?_

Junmyeon didn't even flinch, used to Yifan intruding on his thoughts like this, at inopportune moments. Junmyeon's body remained stiff, the only sign he'd heard was the slight lift of his mouth.

Yifan counted it a win.

Distances were a struggle, but if his brother's were close enough, he could open a small communication wavelength. It was a useless little gimmick but fun nonetheless when they were caught up in awful council meetings with a bunch of noble's, who wouldn't know anything about the current economical state even if they kicked around in the lower ring for a day.

Yifan often distracted himself during these meetings with feverish plans and fanciful aspirations, thinking of all he could achieve as King.

Yifan wasn't prone to throes of optimism but he did admit that after all the hard work he'd put into his training, that maybe he'd be able to make a difference.

But those thoughts were for his study, hidden from the prying eyes of his father, whom he didn't really trust to have the people's best interests at heart.

His father was certainly a charismatic leader, he woo'ed the nobles with a terrifying ease, that Yifan was sure he'd never possess. Isn't entirely sure he'd want to.

Junmyeon's thoughts arrived in his head like a chap on the door, hesitant, asking for permission first, like always.

_You're clenching your fists again. In plain sight. Is something bothering you?_

Nothing passed his brother's notice.

_Thinking of father._

His reply made Junmyeon's posture tense up again.

Yifan would surely have to figure out a way to repair that relationship. If Junmyeon was to remain at Yifan's side as his advisor (because it had been decided at a very young age, when Junmyeon first specialised as a low level water mage that he would not be taking a public role on the throne if my father had anything to say about it) he would have to be in the presence of their father more often than not.

Yifan had no doubt his father would be working behind the scenes as soon as Yifan ascended the throne. 

Yifan was brought back out of his musings when his father cleared his throat at the top of the table. 

"I have an announcement to make people!" His father clapped his hands once, the whole room fell silent.

Yifan always felt a little sick when this happened. Father's announcements were always bad news.

"I have arranged for the betrothal of my two sons!" His father sounded ecstatic. And Yifan felt his heart plummet through his ass.

Junmyeon had broken his mask only slightly. To grab his arm under the table in a vice like grip.

"Prince Junmyeon will be travelling over sea's to make peace with Alleria. They have kindly offered him as place on the throne beside the crowned princess. May our Kingdoms always prosper together for the foreseeable future!" The King laughed heartily and proposed a toast. There was load jeers and cheering throughout the room.

Junmyeon's grip hadn't loosened.

_Junmyeon, I'm so-_

"And my second boy, that is to be wed next year, is none other than the future crowned prince himself!" Yifan felt the floor disappear from under him.

Chanyeol?

He was sure it was his own time. He couldn't even feel relieved knowing his two younger brothers were being forced into unwanted marriages instead.

Yifan felt anger at the injustice of it all fog up his brain a little bit. 

"That is all, my good friends. I'll greet you again at the banquet later on this evening. The Prince Chanyeol is to greet his betrothed for the first time and we shall celebrate in their honour!" His father was already clapping men on the back and shaking hands in goodbye. Trust his father to turn such private matter's into celebration. It was times like these when Yifan's felt like his loyalty was being tested.

Yifan took a deep calming breath, nodded polite goodbyes to the nobles. Chanted in his head.

_I love my father and I respect and trust in his choices._

Yifan found himself repeating this mantra a lot recently.

Junmyeon had gone completely white and still beside him. Yifan's concern rocked higher. He was about to address his brother again when his father finally turned to face them.

"Hello, my boys. I shall expect you are glad of the news, my son. Your future is no longer undecided." His father was using his best charming smile, the same kind that Sehun used to charm the maids out of punishing him when he got into trouble. On Sehun it was adorable, annoying and coupled with just a hint of aggravation and smarminess. On his father it was downright shark-like. Yifan didn't appreciate the comparison at all. 

Junmyeon nodded respectfully, mechanically, and forced his mouth to work. Yifan didn't understand how his brother had such control - he'd surely be going off the head if he was in Junmyeon's position.

"Yes, sir. It is a beneficial agreement and a welcome opportunity. I shall begin preparations immediately. Is it known yet when I am to depart for Alleria?" Junmyeon had his business face on, his perfected adviser look that Yifan hated because it was born out of being sidelined by himself and his brothers. 

"You aren't to depart for another six months. You will stay for six months and return. It will be decided then if you are to remain in the days after Yifan's coronation." Just in time for Chanyeol's ceremony as well. "Anyway, go freshen up. You are meeting with your brothers future spouse in an hour. Make a good impression, he is a very important asset to the reunification of the merchant city and the future of this Kingdom. Yifan, I'd like to receive your opinion on the matter tonight. I shall receive you in the council hall an hour before the celebration." And with that as his last word, Yifan barely had a moment to nod his assent before his father about turned and marched away.

He turned immediately to Junmyeon, who still hadn't moved a muscle. Junmyeon shook himself out of his stupor and spoke before Yifan could get a word in.

"I need a moment to be alone with my thoughts. I know you are concerned but it will have to wait. I will seek you out after father's ridiculous celebration." Junmyeon's face was still pale, but his dark eyes glittered with humour for a moment when he said; "besides, your shadow has been waiting impatiently outside for you to leave. You know how he gets when he cannot physically see if you are alive at all times." 

Yifan might've put up a fight at that, but Junmyeon was already walking away before Yifan could process any of what had been said to him

 _This is going to be a long night._ Yifan thought forlornly, dreaming of the days when staying up late had been a choice.

Tao appeared in the doorway that Junmyeon had left open, refusing to step over the line, but gazing at Yifan questioningly. 

Yifan did suppose he looked like a puppy when he did that. 

Yifan would sooner sell his right arm on the black market than admit he agreed with it, or tell Tao what had been said. He'd seen the boy in a fight before. There was a reason he was Yifan's personal guard. 

"Sire? Do you plan to gaze at the blank walls all day? I'm sure they'll be exactly the same after you leave and when you visit again." Yifan didn't know when he started accepting snark off the boy, but he did it so plainly, that Yifan almost didn't notice he was being made fun of till the moment was over.

"You know, I could have you fired for such back talk." Yifan said conversationally, finally moving and finally leaving the council room, not pausing as he passed Tao to see if he was following.

"Of course, sire. Wouldn't dream of it." Tao answered, and Yifan imagined the boys lips curling up at the response. Yifan narrowed his eyes.

Though Tao had only officially become his personal guard during his crowning ceremony at eighteen, he'd known Tao since he was 13 and Tao was 10. Yifan had tried to pick a fight out of the scrawny boy and ended up getting his ass handed to him. It was his first real lesson on humility, really.

Even if Tao wasn't born into the responsibility of being Yifan's personal guard, Tao had certainly earned his spot at Yifan's side. Even if he did backchat him.

As they finally reached his chambers, the maids were already there to dress him.

Tao followed him inside, quietly and inconspicuously. He never spoke out of turn when the maids were in.

Yifan saw his table, a mess full of parchment, felt all his musings from the meeting rise up in him again, the new ideas he'd had. He gave the maids a single guilty look before ordering them out.

"I'll be fine on my own, for now. I shall get dressed at my own leisure, thank you very much." Yifan barely let the door drift shut before he took up his quill, and a scraggly spare piece of parchment before he could forget again.

"You know you should really be getting dressed, Your Majesty." Tao spoke up from his chair of judgement. Yifan made a vague noise of acknowledgement.

"I have to write it down before I forget. I'm going to be crowned King by the end of next year. If I start now, then everything should run smoothly when I take my position. And don't call me that, I'm not my father yet." 

"You never will be your father, sire." Tao paused for a moment, before adding softly. "I think you'll be a great King."

Yifan paused for a moment to let the significance of his words sink in before giving his head a small shake and continuing. 

His father was a great King in his own right, Yifan reassured himself. He only judged too strictly sometimes.

Yifan was not late, but only because the maids had run off to get the head hand maiden. She did not care for his status as she threatened to burn his notes in the fire.

 

///////////////////////////////

 

Chanyeol enjoyed meeting people on most days, really. In fact, he loved it. He was by far the most people friendly out of the royal family, and he prided himself on that. But setting out for lunch with a bunch of pompous noble's who were possible suitors, whilst nursing a black eye from the  _last_ new person he'd met, was exactly the last thing Chanyeol wanted to do.

What Chanyeol wanted to do was curl up on his big (but small) brothers lap and whine. He'd already done so, of course, the night before. But Chanyeol felt an even more pressing urge to turn tail and run from this family meeting. 

Even if he were to run, Junmyeon would be at the meeting anyway, so what was the point.

So Chanyeol was in a foul mood. He'd already conjured up a dozen scenarios in his head, all of which included Sehun being his usual self and using Chanyeol's bad mood against him. His younger brother seemed to have a sixth sense for exactly the wrong time to piss him off.

 _Maybe some of them are actually really nice._ That naive optimistic voice whispered in his head.

Chanyeol listened to it on most days, his optimism knew no bounds but today-

_Oh yeah, as nice as that obnoxious little man-child who knocked you out yesterday. That was fun wasn't it._

Really, it wasn't a good day for Chanyeol.

He already grumped to every palace servant and maid he could talk to this morning (which might have been cathartic if they hadn't all given him fond looks and condescending answers) and Chanyeol was stage Bitch Fit.

Usually there was fire, mostly there were tears, and sometimes laughing (if Sehun was around).

Chanyeol was at the door of the great hall before he could convince himself otherwise. The guards opened the door for him, bowing to him as they did in so in a grand sweeping motion. Chanyeol nodded to them graciously, as if the very same guards hadn't been subjected to his ranting and raving earlier on in the day.

For such a small lunch, there was certainly a lot of nobles here, Chanyeol noted with a small amount of disdain. Chanyeol looked for faces within his age group, people he might recognise, and found none. 

That was the beginning of the uncomfortable suspicion that lodged itself in Chanyeol's stomach.

He took his seat at the end of the table, facing Junmyeon, with his father and Yifan at the head of the table. Junmyeon wouldn't meet his eyes.

He felt a soft brush against the edge of his mind and instantly let Yifan in.

_What's going on?_

Chanyeol tried to lock eyes with Yifan, but his brother swiftly avoided his gaze, his calm leader mask in full effect.

_You'll find out soon enough. Father intended it to be a... surprise. All I ask is that you keep a lid on your temper when it does happen._

A wave of alarm shot through Chanyeol at Yifan's tense and ominous message.

_What the hell? When what happens?!_

Yifan had already cut the connection. Chanyeol tried not to curse aloud.

Whilst he loved his brother, Yifan was cryptic and stoic at the best of times and so getting anything useful out of him in a crisis such as this was almost impossible. Chanyeol wished dearly it was Junmyeon he could speak to in moments like this. His brother always soothed Chanyeol's temper.

Unlike Yifan, who prefers to give Chanyeol ominous warnings and stress him out completely. 

Chanyeol felt like sinking into his seat and pouting like a child on the verge of a temper tantrum. His day really wasn't going well. 

When Sehun finally arrived late, as usual, he, in a very Sehun fashion, caused a scene almost immediately upon his arrival, "accidentally" jostling a waitress and causing her to dump all full bottle of wine over his father's General Xiao. Chanyeol watched as the General turned purple with indignation, the poor serving girl quiver out several apologies, that were accompanied by his brother's own fake ones. He took the blame and acted cowed and apologetic. The General looked like he didn't believe a word, and neither did anyone else who'd known Sehun long enough for him to open his mouth.

He took his place beside Chanyeol, fixating immediately on the hastily covered bruise forming around his eyes.

"Looking pretty today your majesty," Sehun started in immediately, a shit eating grin lighting up his face. Chanyeol felt his ears turn red. "I didn't know this occasion called for such dressing up, if I'd known, I too would have worn make up."

Chanyeol pinched him underneath the table.

"Quit it, you brat or else I'll tell the Matron who left the rats in her linen closet." Chanyeol threatened quietly, enough that his father wouldn't overhear. 

Chanyeol was tense as he waited for his father's announcement. His father seemed to be taking his time, waiting for the din of chatter amongst the nobles to end. He began tapping his fingers impatiently.

He gazed around the dining hall disdainfully, taking in the details that he'd seen over and over again through the years.

Where the Great hall was large and luxurious, the walls made from the finest Lilingolian jewels, gifted straight from Draterra, when his father had returned from renewing their peace treaty. It might seem like a ballsy move, to display such expensive gifts in plain sight. But the jewels were elven, and Yifan had warned Chanyeol back then, too, in his own terrifying way, when Chanyeol had asked about it: "Elves are dark creatures Yeol, and their jewels are much the same. If the opportunity presented itself, they would defend themselves.". It had completely freaked Chanyeol out, the way Yifan referred to them as if they were alive. But Chanyeol had always been gullible, believing every story Yifan wove to him. Junmyeon often had to step in and tell him off for frightening him. And though Yifan spouted a lot of shit, Chanyeol had seen the way the jewels glinted in the moonlight, when the fires of the Great hall were out and he was on his own. Chanyeol considered this a story he could afford to be a little wary of. And where the hall was loud, full of luxury and grandeur...

The royal dining hall was not. It was ancient and it had long wooden furnishings across the walls. There was a cold stone fireplace at the center of the room and large spiraling columns that reached up forever to hold up the ceiling. The ceiling itself was the main feature of the room. The cracked white stone converged in the middle to make way for a large dome, filled with grotesque imagery, or the old gods being slaughtered in battle, and then in another image, Mila Firebringer depicted as placing her throne atop of their corpses. His father always boasted about how his Grandfather had it commissioned to pay homage to those who died in the the defeat of the Old Religion. 

Chanyeol hated the dining room more he hated the Great Hall.

Lost in thought, Chanyeol jumped a mile high when the door of the dining room swung open with a large bang. And in walked the doe eyed noble who'd given him the shining black eye he'd been forced to cover up. Chanyeol resisted the urge to stand up and shout obscenities. 

_The nerve of this asshole-_

His father stood at the end of the table immediately, welcoming the boy into the room. The serving boy, Kai, then one Chanyeol frequently saw scuttling around with Sehun, followed him inside the room diligently, whispering in his ear the whole time. How impressive can he be if he has to borrow the palace's own servants?

The dining room had descended into frenzied whispering as the petite boy walked through the dining room, eyebrows furrowed in a hateful stare at anyone who met his glance. He ended up at the helm of their table and his father gestured for his to take a seat. Chanyeol resisted from throwing a strop when that seat turned out to be in the space across from him, next to Junmyeon.

"At ease my men. This is the saviour we have been waiting for. Our chance to unite this Kingdom again and restore it back to what it once was." The King was using his announcement voice. Chanyeol settled in for a long winded story telling before he got to the point. "Our Council had been incomplete for decades, our crops are the weakest they have ever been in history and the merchant city grows more and more rife with crime and violence every second these problems continue." His Father was the only one who still referred to the lower ring as the merchant city anymore. The lower ring had grown unrecognizable for the traits that made this Kingdom famous in the early days of Aean. "I come today baring a solution. His name is Do Kyungsoo. "

Chanyeol stared at the hateful boy across the table from him, wondering how someone so small and angry could possibly be the city's saviour.

He wasn't the only one. The noble's dotted around the dining room looked on with mild interest, veering on disgust as they regarded the boy. It seemed they did not know his origins either, or what he was doing in the palace. 

Chanyeol wondered if this was what he was supposed to keep his temper on. Did Yifan know that this snobby noble boy had assaulted him?

The boy gave no recognition that he and Chanyeol had met beyond now, resolving to scowling at a spot on the table, looking as intimidating as a petulant child.

"The boy is the first born Earth Mage since Kanen himself. And he is here today because he has been offered my sons hand in marriage, in exchange for helping this kingdom prosper and reach its full potential." Chanyeol was sure the room had erupted into angry whispered and shocked gasps, but all he could hear was white noise. His vision focused on the unassuming boy in front of him, who until now, was the object of Chanyeol's aggravation, now became the lock on his chains that bolted him down into this castle. 

 _I - I was supposed to have a choice!_ Chanyeol thought desperately.  _It's too soon! I didn't choose this!_

Chanyeol's fists clenched onto his thighs, willing his temper to calm down, knowing the dangers of causing the curtains to catch fire. His vision still locked on the Earth mage, albeit foggy and muddled with panic. Couldn't hear over the drum beat of his own heart.

His throat was choked and his eyes felt prickly. 

Yifan's voice flashed through Chanyeol's head, only for a moment, knowing very well that his voice only further aggravated Chanyeol when his temper flared. He knew what Chanyeol needed.

_Focus on Junmyeon._

Chanyeol's eyes flashed to his brother's, his brother's steady gaze, the soft and reliable brown that always calmed Chanyeol down. Junmyeon didn't drop eye contact with Chanyeol until Chanyeol's fists unclenched underneath the table.

Chanyeol's moment of panic must not have lasted long in reality, for some people were still muttering to themselves, some enraged that the boy had to be bribed into helping the city for the greater good, other's relieved, other's, most of them, questioning his social status.

The boy wonder himself, seemed content with playing with the unused cutlery at table. Chanyeol didn't think he looked like the kind of person who bought their way into royalty, even dressed up in the finest clothes, he looked slightly rugged in his handsomeness. On the other hand, his slight build and wide pouty lips could be used as a lethal weapon for getting what he wants. The wide set of his eyes painted a pretty picture of innocence and it was not hard to imagine him using it to his advantage.

 _Maybe that's how he conned father into thinking he had any talent worthwhile._ Chanyeol thought bitterly, thinking of how easy it was to please his father with a pretty smile, it was how Sehun got away with most of his acts of deviance.

Chanyeol's smile was more good natured than handsome, his old maid used to tell him so frequently. That Junmyeon's smiles was made for politeness, and Sehun's were made for charm, that Yifan's were made to terrify and that Chanyeol's were made to be kind.

This was before Chanyeol's magic manifested and his temper along with it. 

"-We'll be hosting a banquet later this evening open to the city. Chanyeol shall announce his betrothal then to the public. For now, we shall keep this information between us." His Father's voice filtered back into Chanyeol's ears.  _Sure, just between us and the other 30 nobles in this room._

"But, of course, I won't talk any longer. We will sit down to our lunch and let our betrothed get formally acquainted." The King clapped his hands once, and the servants appeared immediately full of trays with delicious things. Even Chanyeol couldn't deny them in his bad mood. The little sausages wrapped in bacon look particularly appetizing.

Chanyeol had just bitten into his first sausage when Sehun cleared his throat next to Chanyeol and turned to address Kyungsoo with a deep baritone, which, by the way, he did not speak with normally.

"So, Earth Mage," Sehun drew himself up to full height, squaring his shoulders to look intimidating, "what exactly," He gave another pause for dramatic effect and Chanyeol fought against rolling his eyes as he stuffed another small sausage in his mouth. "Are your intentions with my brother?"

The sausage was a bad idea. Chanyeol promptly choked.

A horrified servant rushed to his aid immediately, but the Earth Mage seemed completely unshaken by Sehun's weird attempt at prying. In fact, he looked sort of bored.

"We are to be married, did you not hear?" His response was every bit the cocky noble he expected and it made Chanyeol's blood singe a little.

"Very well," Sehun said, as if he hadn't been answered back. "Chanyeol, good luck my man. You'll have to fight for your own honour."

Chanyeol wasn't listening anymore, anyway.

"What makes you think you can address my brother in such a way?" Chanyeol really couldn't have cared if the stable boy told Sehun to go fuck himself with a large rake. He did, however, have a pretty big grudge against this  _kid_ who seemed intent on making his life infinitely more difficult. "First you attack me, then insult my brother? Being my betrothed does not exempt you from thrown in the stocks you know!"

"Ooh, you should definitely listen to what he says, his angry neck vein is bulging and that means bad news" Sehun snickered, drawing his thumb across his neck.

If Chanyeol hadn't been channeling his energy into hating Kyungsoo, he might've been able to conjure up some rage over Sehun's betrayal.

"Listen,-" The boy,  _Kyungsoo,_ started, "I'm sorry we got off to such a rough start-"

"Rough start? Are you kidding me? You gave me a black eye!" Chanyeol interrupted.

"I know and I apologize, and I am willing to make amends-"

" _-You're_ willing?!"

"- so that we can continue to interact civilly as we're going to be seeing a lot of-"

"- But what if I'm not willing to make amends? Huh?"

"- each other - Will you quit-"

"- You gave me a black eye, punk-"

"- interrupting - hey, who are you calling -"

Chanyeol was standing up now, attracting attention with his shouting, Kyungsoo too, and Junmyeon had started to move at the growing spectacle. The room was loud with chatter, but the two were quickly gathering attention with their squabbling. They were lucky their father had left the table.

"- You presumptuous, pompous, piece of-"

"- will you just shut up for one god damn-"

"- Coming into my home! And disrespecting-"

"- I said shut up! -"

Junmyeon had reached Chanyeol the same time the wine did.

Chanyeol was speechless. The boy had really thrown the wine on him. All over his new dress robes. In front of his Father's entire court. 

Kyungsoo turned, face beet red, and stormed back out of the hall the way he came, a horrified Kai, whom Chanyeol had not noticed, running after him. Chanyeol sheepishly slipped back into his surroundings, noticing with no small amount of embarrassment, that the food on his table had all been turned to ash, and the napkins were still slightly on fire. Junmyeon's hand appeared above them and a gentle cloud of moisture doused them. Chanyeol peeked a glance around the shell shocked room, to his fathers face, Sehun's cackling in his ear.

He slumped back into his chair, a far down as he could make his body go.

"Well," Yifan said evenly, looking completely unfazed at the head of the table, having not moved a hair. "That went well."

 

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

 

Oh Sehun was many things. He was arrogant, charming, and easily amused. And currently, he was very, very bored. All of these things put together was a very dangerous combination. His favourite distraction was off playing loyal servant to the palace new boy and Sehun found himself at a celebration ball with absolutely nothing to do but prey on the weak. The ladies of the court were no good because they often mistook his vague interest for a marriage proposal, so he had learned very quickly to avoid those. The men were worse because they often mistook his vague interest as a threat to their wives, and tended to get territorial. Scoping out interesting prey became more and more challenging with each ball he attended lately, especially with Jongin so distracted.

Usually, he'd be instructed to stay by his brothers side, but tonight all eyes were on Chanyeol, and that meant keeping Sehun as far away from him and the spotlight as possible. His father believed the spotlight only encouraged his bad behaviour.

He was right, of course, but it didn't stop Sehun from milking his offense whenever he could.

Sehun had a very notorious reputation within the palace for misbehaving and getting himself and those he involved in deep shit. He  _is_ the youngest, he has to make a name for himself somehow.

He never really played well with others as a kid, terrorizing all that stood in his way, making friends only when it suited him. His first real friend, was the palace servant, whom he had met at the ripe age of fourteen and immediately taken a liking to when the boy, not realizing who he was speaking to, told him to 'shove his posh accent up his ass and get out the way' when he had tried to stall the serving boy from doing his rounds. Jongin had gotten a severe punishment for such back talk to the prince, but Sehun had adopted him that day, as his own personal conscience of sorts. 

Jongin, or Kai, as the rest of the palace knew him as, followed Sehun's mischief with tears of laughter. Sehun knew he had gone too far if Jongins brow furrowed in that awful way, like he'd just been kicked. And without him, Sehun got in much deeper trouble. For example, when they were 15 and Jongin had been reassigned to work outside the palace, Sehun kicked up such a fuss, skipping his lessons, burning his bed sheets, ransacking the kitchen, breaking priceless ancient family mosaics, his father had granted his request, if only to shut him up.

And the same thing had happened every time Jongin disappeared. Sehun got a bit more reckless. And tonight was no different.

Sehun had been a menace to all within his reach all night, and he was not planning on stopping till his boredom was cured.

In fact, it was on his third round of prowling the banquet hall that he found his perfect distraction.

His frame was slight, though, not exactly short, he certainly gave the illusion of it. He was dressed like a servant, ducking in between men with a platter of champagne glasses, that looked like they were staying stable on the tray through his sheer force of will. Sehun knew the boy was not, in fact, a servant, because Sehun knew all the palace servants by name, and he'd certainly never seen one this pretty, and he had seen  _Jongin_ go through puberty. 

Sehun approached the boy slowly, as his shining opportunity arose when a rather portly noble latched onto the boy.

The boy had been so focused on getting to his destination, he jolted in shock at the interruption and the wine glasses went flying. Thankfully, he had been preyed upon in a quiet corner of the banquet hall, and so the glasses soaked nobody as the shattered on the group.

The greasy noble began whispering in the boys ear and Sehun seized this as his chance to jump in.

"Listen, _asshole,_ don't think I won't beat your ass right here if you don't get your greasy fingers off of me!" The boy hissed as Sehun approached. 

"Now, my pretty little lady, no need to act so shy, I can treat you better back at my home than they ever will here. Won't you leave here with me?" The noble even sounded greasy. The boy struggled in his grasp.

"I think you'll find, sir, that that is not in fact a girl. Although you're welcome to see for yourself, I do not think you would appreciate his pretty face so much then." The noble had looked like he was about to swing his stick at Sehun, that was clutched under his meaty paws, when realization dawned across his face and he paled. 

He gave Sehun a brisk nod and hurried away from the alcove the were standing in.

"Thank you very much, kind sir, but I was perfectly capable of handling myself. Now, if you'll excuse me." Sehun had barely any time to turn to address the pretty faced boy before he had hurled himself back into the fray of the ball, broken wine glasses forgotten about.

 _"Serving boy my ass."_ Sehun darted after the boy immediately, worried about loosing him. This one was a spitfire, and Sehun didn't want to loose another distraction. 

The boy was seriously pretty, with large doe eyes and a small nose and mouth and delicate chin, it was no wonder some thought he passed for a female servant. However, you'd have to be very drunk not to notice his adams apple and broad shoulders or  _lack of cleavage._ Women simply weren't built that way. 

Sehun's curiousity was eating him alive as he lost the boy again, pushing through the crowd, which ideally should have parted for him anyway, since he is the Prince, but didn't because nobles are difficult like that.

When Sehun found him again, he was perched at a perfect viewing point of the royal thrones. Chanyeol been up there most of the night with his new fiancé, fielding gifts and blessings all night. The boys face was screwed up in concentration. Sehun smirked and leaned down over his shoulder.

"I could name a few better looking people to stare at than him, you know," The boy jumped a mile and fell off the step he was balanced on, turned to sneer at Sehun.

"What do you think you think you're doing! I could've died! I thought you were those creepy snake twins again come to freak me out with their satan magic!" Sehun had no clue whatsoever about the words that just left the boys mouth and was about to ask him to repeat himself when the boy spoke up again, his tone condescending, and had dropped any honourifics he should've shown.

"What are you doing following me kid? Huh? Go play with kids your own age. Adults gotta work for a living." And with that, the boy turned back to stalking his brother.

Sehun felt his face go red with outrage.

"Kid! You barely look older than me, that's if you're even older than me to start with!" Sehun had never been this disrespected in all his life, everyone he'd ever known had responded to his charm and this boy had just completely curved him.

"Listen, there are bigger forces at work here, not just your ego. Go bother someone else with your swoony hero gags. And don't loom, your blocking my light." If Sehun didn't know better, he'd think he looked like a gaping fish, but that was an unattractive imagery and Sehun was everything but unattractive. 

Sehun might've even stayed to argue, but a huge crack sounded around the hall and everything went dark for a moment. When the lights returned, the boy was gone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okay so first of all if you dont understand the goddess sola-nyx cause idk if i explained it enough she functions kind of on the same premise as the ancient egyptian god amun-ra, but only in the literal sense. if that makes sense? i'll try go into detail later on but idk how deep i'll be able to go without going too far off topic from the story :/ let me know if you'd want anymore background on the goddesses tho okok
> 
> I'm also gonna try work out an update schedule thats definitely not longer than a month. at the moment i think its gonna be every two weeks just to give myself a bit of time if ive ever got writers block or drowning in exams
> 
> ps i finished this at 04:54 my eyes are burning whats sleep? whos she? i dont know her
> 
> also im trying to pace this decently so that it isnt all over the place, however bc i want to switch through multiple point of views, it seems like this is gonna have to be a slow burn for now. it might take a couple of chapters to get into the action at least. ill try plan for this to happen quicker than i originally planned because in my opinion it all seems to be going a little slow UGh dont worry ill get my shit sorted hopefully you will enjoy this update


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ok so little disclaimer to change pov i usually put ///////// but if im not changing pov, and im just skipping a short amount of time or changing settings im just gonna put a double space. hopefully it'll be clear enough, if it isn't let me know okok
> 
> mentioned sexual scenes and references to prostitution

Kyungsoo shifted uncomfortably in the too-tight dress shirt he was wearing, yanking at the collar that was wrapped all the way around his neck like his own personal choking device. He'd spent the evening sat on a wooden make shift throne underneath the actual important thrones on the dais, feeling like he was about to perspire in the heat. Having grown up mainly in the forests outside the lower ring, Kyungsoo was built for the freezing lows the forest reached when darkness fell. Even after a few years of living amongst the vile heat in wyrdgaen, Kyungsoo wasn't ready for the magical central heating within the palace.

Chanyeol himself, was also his own personal radiator, sitting just close enough on his own, much prettier, make shift throne - because he couldn't occupy the real one until his coronation, and his father stepped down for Yifan - his arms just sitting inches away from brushing Kyungsoo's, and Kyungsoo could feel the heat radiating off of him. Maybe it was his temper increasing, like it had in their argument. Either way, Kyungsoo tried not to let it fuel his own increasing resentment of the soon-to-be Crowned Prince. Terra knows how that turned out the last time he had let his temper get the better of him.

Chanyeol had looked positively terrifying rising from his seat, eyes the colour of molten lava, fists clenched, the curtains igniting behind in his rage. He looked like a fire demon, the way his red hair sparked and how he still managed to loom over Kyungsoo even when he was across the table. Kyungsoo hated being looked down upon by anyone, so it really wasn't a surprise that he lost his cool because this - this giant  _bean pole_ knew how to boil his blood that was for sure. 

 _Maybe its part of his mage abilities to make tempers burn, maybe_ that's  _his specification,_  Kyungsoo thought idly to himself, swirling the untouched wine in the glass he'd been given at the beginning of the night. Even it was lukewarm and disgusting.

Still, Kyungsoo may have went slightly over board, his own temper getting the best of him and unravelling the last shred of control Kyungsoo had for this Kingdom and its inhabitants, but at least it had put out the flames on his lapels.

Chanyeol was not nearly as destructive when they had been forced to sit beside each other and maintain a friendly picture to the audience who had taken it in turns to bestow gifts on the pair. Kyungsoo was glad when the dancing finally began, because he was beginning to fear his jaw might split with the ache of smiling for so long. The room might have been set to roast him alive, but the atmosphere between Chanyeol and Kyungsoo was freezing.

Throughout the extremely monotonous evening, Kyungsoo had entertained himself by watching the Crowned Prince and soon-to-be King, who, stony faced as ever, seemed to be getting flayed alive by the Queen. The Queen herself looked barely older than Yifan himself, and sat at his side in stunning jewels, presenting woman after woman after woman. Kyungsoo could barely hear what was being said over the din of the hall, but the Prince looked like his face was going to crack from the severe scowling he was doing. This was a man Kyungsoo could indeed relate to.

In fact, it was only because Kyungsoo was paying such minute attention to the Prince that he saw what was going to happen. Her Lady Organa who had travelled a very long ay from the Western Isle's was being presented by the Queen, hoping he wouldn't be able to resist her feminine wiles that he saw her. The Queen was entirely focused on the Prince's female suitor, and Yifan himself had busied himself to dropping sly remarks in his guards direction without getting noticed, Chanyeol had slumped so far down in his seat that Kyungsoo thought - hoped - his neck would end up deformed and the King had disappeared into the crowd to discuss business with his men. The only other person at the center of the room paying any attention was the Prince's Royal Advisor, Prince Junmyeon, who stood stock straight at Yifans other side, wearily observing the proceedings.

The woman appeared out of the shadows in a flash. Her cloak concealed her face and possibly her magic had two, she had slipped through two rows of security to have gotten so close, she must have been wearing a charm or something to keep her hidden from the crowd.

In an instant she was behind Yifan's throne and there was a knife set to go through his skull from above. 

Kyungsoo must have reacted on instinct, because really, he had no burning desire for the members of the royal family to live. But he wasn't the first to move either, Junmyeon had reacted just as quickly upon sensing her movement and jerked a hand out to grab the knife before it hit true, and a third hand, that Kyungsoo hadn't noticed was paying attention, was Yifan's personal guard, who seconds prior had looked to be engaged in scolding the Prince for not paying attention. His hand had doubled Yifan over in seconds, grabbing him from the next and forcing him in half, to avoid the blade getting anywhere near him.

Junmyeon and the guard had responded to the attack as if they had both been thoroughly trained to successfully avoid such a thing.

Kyungsoo on the other hand, hand not been.

That is why the culprit lay twitching on the floor, a few scant meters from the dais, struggling to breathe as vines coiled around her tightly. And of course, a small earthquake under the force of his magic  _may_ have cracked the floor and smashed a few lights around the hall.

At least the lights turned back  _on_ this time. Kyungsoo considered the damages slightly less drastic as they hand been when he'd last had sex with a women and accidentally destroyed the whole house. Granted, the house was very tiny in comparison to the hall, but, theoretically, the damage could have been worse.

There was a beat of silence after the lights turned back on and then suddenly the hall was in chaos. Kyungsoo stood for a moment, disorientated and wondering if he'd get trampled on.

Chanyeol was already over at the murderer, trying to cut her out of the vines, guards, surrounded her with their pointy sticks aimed at her, sparks of magic letting off every now and then as the voltage they were powered with was ramped up on high.

Yifan and the Queen were hurriedly escorted out of the room and the King had made a miraculous reappearance which exactly no one was thankful for.

Chanyeol looked up at Kyungsoo suddenly before shouting at him, "What are you doing just standing there?! Get her out of these damn vines before you kill her and then she's of no use to us."

Kyungsoo scowled, but complied, moving forward and grabbed at the vines. They dissolved at his touch.

Chanyeol flinched away and got up, the guards diving in and securing the woman and escorting her out of the banquet hall.

The King stood at the dais and announced that there had been an attack on the Prince's life and that the ceremony was finished for the night.

There was also an extra part where the King made a mighty speech about evil within the walls of this Kingdom, but Kyungsoo tuned out and waited for someone to appear and lead him away too.

That person was Kai, pleasantly enough, looking frazzled and very stressed. Kyungsoo gave him a smile.

"It's just not you're day is it?"

"With you in my life, I believe it's not going to be my year, sir."

 

 

 Kyungsoo had been in many really sticky situations in his lifetimes. Usually he ended up in those with Baekhyun and Jongdae at his side, so together, their sheepish smiles could charm anyone onto their side (except, of course, Minseok who was a monster without feelings) but on his own, Kyungsoo didn't feel like his chances were so great.

So far his charms had gotten him out of shit with Kai. Currently though? Being scolded by the Prince's Royal Advisor and Actual Member Of The Royal Family was actually the last thing Kyungsoo wanted to face ever.

Prince Junmyeon had intercepted Kyungsoo on his way to breakfast the next morning, and Kyungsoo had seen the stern look in his brothers eye too many times for Kyungsoo to know his chat with the Prince was not going to be friendly.

And he was right.

Kai usually started with the yelling and the rhetorical sentences.

Minseok usually started with the bitter sarcasm and a smack around the head.

Junmyeon was oppressively silent and Kyungsoo found himself shifting uncomfortably under the weight of his stare. Kyungsoo felt compelled to fill the silence and only then, when Kyungsoo opened his mouth did Junmyeon speak, effectively cutting him off.

"You do realise that having taken on this betrothal you are now representing the Royal Family?" His first words were cutting and to the point. "Last night was your first exposure to the public and you lost control of your magic like that in front of the entirety of the citadel. The city is watching every move you make Do Kyungsoo and if you do not learn to control yourself, you will see the repercussions of your actions. Do not think for one second I will not hesitate to protect my own."

In the face of the King Kyungsoo was mouthy and disrespectful, in front of the Prince, who had the disciplinary likeness of his brother, Kyungsoo thought it was best to keep his damn mouth shut, even if it went against every instinct within him.

Junmyeon seemed to appreciate his silence, though and his stance settled slightly, he looked less ready to attack Kyungsoo.

"I appreciate that you tried to save the King and it will charm the noble's and ladies of my father's court. However, you cannot show your lack of experience like so in front of them like that ever again, they will eat you up like a pack of wolves." He paused and gazed at Kyungsoo for a minute, as if analysing him. It gave Kyungsoo a distinct skin crawling feeling. Though intimidating like Minseok, Junmyeon was also very attractive and very notably _not_ related to him. Kyungsoo had to remind himself that it was bad taste to be attracted to his future brother-in-law. 

"How much training have you received?" The question was an easy one, but Kyungsoo knew the weight of it was probably more significant to the Prince than it was to Kyungsoo.

Kyungsoo thought about it.

"My brother would sometimes set tasks for me to do when I was younger to help focus my magic?" Kyungsoo hated how unsure he sounded, hated the need he felt to impress Junmyeon, because Junmyeon, no matter how familiar he seemed, was his enemy at the end of the day.

Junmyeon sighed then.

"You've never had any full training? Do you even have a specification yet?" He sounded thoroughly exasperated. Kyungsoo felt his competitive stubbornness appear in the face of his scrutiny.

"I have a high aptitude for several specifications. I haven't chosen what I want to specify in yet, since, you know, I'm highly proficient in many of them." Okay, so it wasn't his best line and Kyungsoo knew it. Junmyeon only cocked an eyebrow, but didn't say anything. Kyungsoo liked to refer to this as  _the asshole brow_ because only attractive people did it when they were being an asshole and ruining his day.

"Well," Junmyeon said finally, giving Kyungsoo a final once over. "I'll have my father sign you up for training at the academy. It seems like you're going to need it if you plan on being useful." He turned to Kai briefly, only to say: "have his schedule cleared for tomorrow, the sooner the better. Refer anyone who objects directly to me." 

Kyungsoo fought back the urge to start throwing punches at Junmyeon's words, or do something considerably less appropriate, like pant over how hot under the collar his assertive words made Kyungsoo, and managed to compose himself enough to attend his breakfast, Kai smirking like a dog with bone a few feet behind him. 

Kyungsoo did not, however, hold back from punching Kai hard on the shoulder when Kai started snickering.

 

////////////////////////////////////////

 

Minseok had been ranting for the past hour now and Jongdae was glad he wasn't prone to headache's because Minseok's voice was really starting to grate on him.

So what if he had accidentally lost their bread because he thought an alligator was a log? He didn't get wet in the end and that seems like the main thing that they should be focusing on.

But Minseok was generally a very angry little person who liked to be angry about stuff all the time. Like loosing their bread.

He was already several meters ahead on Jongdae ranting more at the tree's than at Jongdae. Jongdae almost appreciated being demoted to lower than a tree, if it meant Minseok's biting sarcasm was no longer directed at him at, but sent in his general direction, at a safe distance. Because Minseok's insults were usually accompanied with a back hand to the head and  _those_ certainly gave Jongdae a headache.

Having known Minseok since he was a kid fresh off the slave boats, Jongdae had dealt with being on the opposite end of Minseok's wrath plenty of times. Even in the heat of Minseoks's fury over the betrayal in his first raid, Jongdae could see Minseok wasn't really angry at Jongdae, didn't really think Jongdae was responsible. 

Jongdae, out of the trio, was usually the fall guy. He was used to Baekhyun diving at the chance to get off the hook and Kyungsoo falling suit as soon as he realised he had an out. He wasn't surprised at all that Minseok had automatically blamed him. Jongdae could wait for his apology, would probably have to wait a long time, but he could do it.

Minseok usually apologised to Jongdae once he realised he'd gotten the wrong person.

That being said, there was actually a reason for Jongdae becoming everyone's scapegoat and that was his Clumsiness. Jongdae never quite seemed to have complete control of his limbs and it usually led to several mishaps throughout his day. Like dropping three fresh loaves of bread right into an alligators mouth to escape death because his eyesight had betrayed him.

Minseok seemed to be enjoying recounting all of Jongdae's sins, because he was on a roll up ahead of Jongdae.

"We've barely been on the road a day and already you've accidentally set my shirt on fire -" Minseok was saying, gesturing wildly with his hands and viciously whacking branches out of his way.

 "That technically wasn't my fault - how else are we meant to see in a cave without fire? You shouldn't have been standing so close!" Jongdae defended himself, adjusting all their kit on his back, that he'd been loaded with because Minseok was a lazy piece of - 

"And you lost my shoe!  _My_ shoe! How did you ever manage that? I was wearing them!" Jongdae rolled his eyes, dodging a branch that came bouncing back in the aftermath of Minseok's ranting. "Of all the people I could've been stuck with, it was you. The clumsiest - mind your feet there - bumbling idiot I know!" 

Jongdae whacked at another branch as he hiked behind Minseok, mimicking him behind his back. " _Of all the people -_ oh woes me, it's not like I'm saving your asses or anything. Whats a little gratitude anyway-"

_Squelch._

"Oh. Well that's an unpleasant feeling." Jongdae says, having been stopped abruptly. Called out to his angry friend. "Hey, Minseok, what was it you said I'd to mind my feet on again?"

"Oh, so you were listening to me? It was quicksand, didn't you see- wow."  Minseok had stopped just a little ahead of him, and looked very godlike in the fading sunlight. Jongdae repressed the urge to tell him how pretty he looked. Minseok didn't appreciate pretty. Or distracting comments, flattering as they may be. His distracted mind was probably at least half of the reason why he always found himself in situations like these.

"I'm not even going to ask how. Give me the bag." Minseok said after a minute of silence and a long drawn out sigh that sounding like his soul was dying just a tiny bit. It probably was.

"It's nice to know the bag is more important than me." Jongdae said conversationally as he handed over all the gear Minseok had been making him cart around like a work horse. "Bags can be retrieved, humans drown."

"If the bag sinks, no food, water or shelter. If you sink, I might get a good nights rest. I'd rather not chance you both sinking, thanks." He said bitingly, sounding very similar to an annoyed cat. He had almost all of the equipment Jongdae had been carrying. 

"Okay, idiot, this thing isn't that wide so lean back, I'll pull you out from behind." Minseok instructed, moving around him lithely. The quicksand was quickly sucking him deeper, already past his calves. He really didn't want to lean backwards.

"Can't you just pull me out the way I am?" Jongdae called, growing slightly more panicked. Jongdae's fight or flight response was a little dull round the edges these days since he was used to getting himself into stupid, possibly life threatening situations. He grown accustomed to it. Minseok had as well. Mostly. He was better on days he wasn't looking for a solution to stopping his brother from marrying into a family of crazies.

"No, you're too far from the edge, listen, standing upright like that you're just going to sink quicker. Get on your back, you'll float. I promise." Minseok's voice instructed him from behind him. This was Minseok's  _trust me_ voice. Jongdae had never heard anything more compelling in his entire life. In a flash, he was 9 years old again, taking a gaunt 13 year old's hand to lead him to safety.

"I don't like swimming either, you know. I just fry the fish! Great for hunting season. Bad for recreational leisure." Jongdae babbled as he let his thighs sink further and laid back, trembling slightly. 

"Of course I know that. Why else do you think we keep you around? Certainly not for your company." Minseok's voice still had that soothing quality, despite his provoking words. Jongdae smiled up at the sky and began swimming slightly backwards.

"I think you're close enough. Can you reach?" Moving was extremely sluggish and slow, but Jongdae soon had a hand free and extended past his head for Minseok to grab. Warm, calloused hands gripped him immediately and Jongdae felt an odd sensation of what he'd imagine being a toilet plunger felt like. There was a loud sucking noise and Jongdae was finally free, scraping wet sand off his hands.

Minseok moved away from him immediately, his soft features cringing up in disgust as he wiped away the sand on his hands.

Jongdae stood and looked at his clothes. Sighed. Looked up at Minseok. Pouted. Minseok scowled and looked away.

"I hate you."

Jongdae waited in silence for a moment.

"And I'm not cleaning your clothes again." 

"But last time wasn't my fault-"

"-you let a stranger use your shirt as a hand towel-"

"-she wasn't a stranger, she was the bar maid!"

"-SHE HAD BLOOD ON HER HANDS!"

 

 

////////////////////////////////

 

* * *

Yixing watched the boy fondly as he fluttered around the room, holding up vials and ingredients and carrying them carefully to his station. Ji Yong hadn't been his apprentice long, but he was already much better at practical work than Yixing had ever been. Although not as gifted at natural healing as Yixing was, Ji Yong had a patience for learning the craft that Yixing hadn't seen even in himself.

And he'd never argued against Yixing's insistence in learning the scientific side of healing besides the magic side. Many of Yixing's own teachers had told him it was stupid to study non magical methods of healing, especially when he was so naturally gifted in its field, but Ji Yong seemed to understand his reasoning. You never know when you can be without your magic.

And it was just as well, because Baekhyun's magical situation seemed to need an exact care and precision that even magic seemed to agitate. 

Ji Yong lived in wyrdgaen even after he agreed to become Yixings apprentice, so Yixing trusted him to attend to Baekhyun when Yixing was needed at the castle.

Yixing had not been there when Baekhyun woke up and Yixing had yet to determine what caused it. Yixing knew it was a bother to keep him so far from where he worked, but he was already harbouring a fugitive as it was. Baekhyun wouldn't be welcomed in the palace. Luhan, at least, knew the art of deception and worked it pretty well. Baekhyun was a nosy kid and Yixing did not trust him not to snoop where he was definetely not wanted.

“Will you check on Baekhyun tonight?” Yixing asked, halting Ji Yong in his ministrations. Ji Yong had been filling it for him when he was his busiest. 

“Who are you seeing tonight?” Ji Yong inquired after a swift nod. The green roots of his hair were starting to show through the blue dye and would have to be topped up soon. Maybe a hat would be in order.

”Finding our resident telepath.” Yixing wasn’t sure what had become of Luhan, he had a habit of being absent whenever Yixing was in the castle. 

“He’s probably in the kitchen, bothering the cook. He says it helps him look busy and slave-like and also keeps away the ‘snake twins’. That’s almost a direct quote.” He said, scrunching his nose up a little.

”Thanks,” Yixing said, giving him a warm smile. “How’s the house? Have you been back since...”

”I have, but it’s too quiet without the others there. I moved her body back, but the funeral can’t happen till Baekhyun is awake.” Ji Yong said, his shoulders hunching slightly. He didn’t talk about it, but the stress of everybody disappearing on him within a matter of days was clearly beginning to get to him.

he missed his friends. Yixing had had years to adjust to living away from the home Minseok had created for everyone. He only felt twinges of loneliness every now and then. Ji Yong was the youngest in that house and everyone had scattered.

”Besides, I can't keep the place warm with the pocket money I get from this apprenticeship.” Ji Yong said with a smile. Yixing hadn’t been living there anymore by the time Ji Yong had moved in, at age 13, he’d had to bury his sister after disease that had killed his parents finally caught her too. It was a magic disease that usually took out entire families in a matter of weeks Ji Yong should have been first, with his age.

He survived because his body was healing the disease faster than it was destroying it. And that made him special.

”I’ll be sure to pay my respects after the funeral. I won’t be able to attend the event. Even being in the lower ring for too long is too much of a risk with all the doubles security cause by Kyungsoo’s magical discovery.” Yixing said, not quite able to keep the bitterness out his tone.

Ji Yong seemed to understand though, and gave firm nod before going back to his work.

”I think I shall take my leave, and find this slippery bugger before it is too late.” Yixing said, slipping out of his office and into the castle halls.

 

 

It took Yixing longer than he would have liked to locate his stowaway, but he found Luhan in the kitchen, the cook nowhere in sight. It was an ill omen already.

Luhan appeared to be battling with a dough. Not touching it. No. Battling it with his mind. His face had gone an extreme plum colour and his eyes were scrunched up in concentration.

If it had been any other human being, Yixing might be concerned, he was a healer after all and bound by an oath. But Yixing prided himself on his patience and knew his life would run much more smoothly if Luhan was left to his own devices.

And so Yixing waited.

And Luhan cracked. And launched himself at the bowl of unsuspecting sticky substance.

“I’m not sure that’s what cook means when she asked you to beat the dough, you know.” Yixing stated dryly, watching Luhan turn to glare balefully at him. “Just a thought.”

“It’s the third dough I’ve tried and every single time, I have managed to set it on fire somehow. I’m not even a fire mage!” Luhan sounded incredibly stressed over his lack of fire. Yixing hummed in sympathy. “I tried using my telepathic powers of awesomeness to make it do as I wished but all it’s doing is giving me a headache.”

Luhan kicked at the bowl in an uncharacteristically flexible movement and the bowl spun around on the work top before settling down again. The dough, or sticky liquid, as Luhan had somehow managed, bubbled threateningly and Luhan sneered.

“You kiss you mother with that mouth?” Thankfully, the bowl didn’t respond.

Yixing gave him a few more minutes to properly grieve the death of whatever he’d been trying to accomplish. Luhan, as always, took advantage of this ripe opportunity and sang a low funeral hymn for it.

Luhan always inspired an air of mischief about anything he touched. He trusted that there was someone somewhere who got grey hairs just thinking about the possible havoc Luhan was prone to making. Yixing had participated in too much of Luhan’s madness in the past to even have a shot at stopping that brain once it set itself in motion. Not that he wanted to.

Yixing had been landed with his own hair greying problem anyway. A certain problem he was going to have to return to soon. Ji Yong was proficient at looking after an unconscious body, but not an awake and determined Baekhyun.

“You’re frowning. That’s never a good look on someone with dimples as pretty as yours.” Luhan commented, breaking Yixing out of his musings.

“I have a lot of frowning thoughts on my mind.” Yixing answered, and Luhan nodded seriously. “The boy should be awake soon. He is a very determined individual.”

“Baekhyun? Determined?” Luhan’s grin told him everything he needed to know. “And you’re waffling by the way. What can I do you for, my friend?”

Yixing smiled a small, embarrassed smile at being caught. “I was hoping to pick your brain on how to properly apprehend a courtesan without angering a lot of people.” Yixing said plainly.

“Xing, that’s a lot of big words for this time of the morning.” Luhan said, his eyes wide. Yixing didn’t believe it for a moment, but he indulged him anyway.

“It’s 3 o’clock in the afternoon,” Yixing said, mildly affronted that Luhan would so blatantly derail his request.

“And you’re stalling for time. Hiding from an emotionally vulnerable man child isn’t very professional of you, Doctor. He hasn’t even woken up yet and here you are, presuming the worst.” Luhan’s eye shimmered with amusement and Yixing wanted to hate him for laughing at his discomfort. More so for his own transparency.

Ji Yong chose that moment to appear, silent as ever, but panicked. Bad news.

“Sir? Baekhyun. He woke up a-and he left. He’s insisting that he has to go back to work.” Ji Yong has the flustered edge around him that only Baekhyun seemed to have the ability to bring out in him.

Maybe he should put an off limits sign on his assistant. _Not for bullying, please._

_Or flirting with._

“You always were a good judge of character,” Luhan said, his voice tinged with laughter.

Yixing sighed and prepared himself for a long day.

 

 

  
As expected, Baekhyun wasn’t where he should be, but he was where Yixing expected him to be.

Baekhyun’s fierce need for independence had led him right back to his old haunts, although, he was definitely smart enough not to work the tavern floor, where Yixing had kept him.

It also meant Yixing had to go looking for him in a brothel. And in greasy place like wyrdgaen, there were too many to count.

Fortunately, Baekhyun was a freelance worker. He wasn’t owned and wasn’t in any debt, which halved his possible hiding spots down to three possible areas.

And if Yixing were to hazard a guess, he’d choose Madame Lira’s place because it was cleaner and more respectable, or as close to that as a brothel could be in wyrdgaen.

A less obvious option would be Xiuyu’s place. A grimy free for all place that dealt honestly, but was a little on the health hazard scale.

Which meant Baekhyun was at Seela’s Wyrd, because it was absolutely crawling with crime and disgusting men and women ready to use and abuse any clientele. It was the last place Yixing would guess, therefore logically it was the first place he was going to check.

When he found Baekhyun, he was working a customer. The unpleasant stench of cigar smoke and sweat were tell tale signs that Yixing was in the right place. He didn’t need the further confirmation of flirtatious working ladies with their breasts out or writhing bodies on beaten sofas. He didn’t have to look hard, Baekhyun’s name was well known within the lower ring and he hadn’t gone unnoticed. He was directed to one of the many private rooms down a grimy and dull hallway.

The position he found Baekhyun in was quite compromising, but Yixing was not easily embarrassed. Being a healer meant he’d seen far worse things than a man spread out on a table, exercising his right to do whatever he wants with his body whenever he wants it. Yixing would usually be against disturbing such a scene, but Doctors Orders trumps Workers Rights.

Baekhyun was a particularly shameless individual as well though, and probably more stubborn than Yixing could dream of being. He locked eyes with Yixing at the doorway and gracefully continued his activity. His client had appeared not to have noticed him yet.

“I thought I said specifically no strenuous activity.” Yixing said, giving his best doctors patience a go. “Sex is very strenuous, and you’re not even on a bed.”

Baekhyun’s client - although personally, the client seemed to be doing most of the work here - jumped a half mile off of the patient in question and skittered back away from Yixing. It only took half a second before a pocket knife was being brandished in his direction snatched from the trousers magically still balanced on his arse.

“What the fuck do you think you’re doin’?” Knife Guy snarled. Yixing thought it best to ignore him.

Baekhyun lounged back on the table, crossing his legs and making a show of it. Heaving a put upon sigh, he dropped off the table and fetched a thin robe to cover himself with.

“He’s my doctor, you can stop waving that ridiculous pocket knife. You’re big gay secret is still safe with me. You’re wife won’t find out.” He said impatiently, his eyes flashing to Yixing with a strong look of defiance. But Yixing could see the exhaustion in his face. Baekhyun was running out of steam already.

“You’ve got that disease, then, haven’ ya!” The half naked man accused, brandishing his knife at Baekhyun. Yixing let out a sigh. Education standards in the lower ring seemed to have dropped even lower since his last visit. Or maybe intelligence standards. It takes all kinds to make a world, though.

“Which disease? There’s a lot.” Baekhyun said, turning to pour himself something from the questionable clear bottles. Yixing hoped for a minute that it wasn’t alcohol, and then backtracked and hoped, with that colour, that it wasn’t water.

“It isn’t a disease, he’s got a magical illness. Which is why you should probably clear off since it could get out of hand at any given moment.” Yixing said, stepping away from the door, and gesturing for him to leave.

“You’ll be regrettin this!” The customer warned, yanking up his threadbare trousers, not even bothering with a shirt and vacating the room.

“You know, Doctor, if you wanted me alone, you could’ve just asked.” Baekhyun, downing whatever he’d been drinking.

Taking in the stubborn set of his jaw, Yixing decided to wait out Baekhyun’s exhaustion.

“Storming in here like that before I’m finished is gonna bring down my customer satisfaction rate. It’s my policy to get paid before but I do have a reputation to uphold, you know.”  
Baekhyun continued, standing upward, as if to approach Yixing, but thinking better of it and settling back against the table.

A sheen of sweat shining across his brow was the first indication and Yixing knew it wasn’t from the previous activity.

Yixing straightened up off wall. Baekhyun’s shoulders slumped.

Tired eyes met his own.

“Will you catch me?”

He did.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> im so so late at posting this and i have no excuse other than college stress and no motivation T.T hoWEVER ao3 been pullin some bullshit and said i havent updated since october which is a bitchass lie ill have u know i updated in november and in december fight me
> 
> //ok but rly im sorry jeez its been a while//
> 
> I also don’t have a laptop anymore so updating is hella hard


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